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The focus of my proposal is on serial killers, a term coined in the 1970s by Robert Ressler, a former director of an FBI program. Ressler chose this term because it accurately describes murders that occur in a series. Serial killers are categorized as such when they have killed three or more victims, with intervals between each murder. According to a 2007 FBI study, it is estimated that the United States has approximately 76% of the world's serial killers. This study also suggests that there are around 400 serial killers in the US, and 80% of them emerged since 1950.
Typically, serial killers tend to be white males from lower to middle-class backgrounds who are usually in their twenties or thirties. Surprisingly, these individuals often lead seemingly ordinary lives within their communities - having families, homes, and jobs. There are various myths surrounding serial killers including misconceptions about them being socially isolated loners, exclusively white males, constant travelers unable to stop killing or mentally insane individuals.
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My proposal aims to debunk these myths and investigate how someone who starts off as an innocent baby can transform into a serial killer.
My proposal encompasses several key aspects, including the origin of the term "serial killer," factors that classify someone as a serial killer, the quantity of serial killers in the United States, their motivations, life experiences, psychological traits, and methods used to capture them. These inquiries are crucial for understanding what compels individuals to commit multiple murders over prolonged periods.
Initially, I believed it would be simple to comprehend the thoughts of these serial killers, but it's not.
It is difficult to precisely understand their mindset and what led them to commit such acts without being in their shoes. However, through interviews with these killers and detectives, one can gain insight into their motivations. Profiling is crucial in apprehending these individuals. Creating a profile involves analyzing the signature and necessary actions required for the crime. This process incorporates data from doctors, previous murders, crime scenes, and witness accounts. For instance, if the crime scene indicates careful planning, it suggests an intelligent and older perpetrator. While profiles are not always flawless, they often hit the mark. Serial killers typically emerge in their twenties and there is no turning back once they reach a certain point. Additionally, detectives profile the victims as they hold the key to apprehending the serial killer. The selection of victims is influenced by something that triggers these individuals.
Addressing the childhood and disrupting abnormal patterns is necessary to prevent serial killers. Serial killers, like all individuals, are influenced by genetics and personal choices, with their actions shaped by experiences and biological factors. The process of human development occurs continuously from birth to death, with behavior being influenced by external stimuli that are processed through the nervous system. Neurobiologists argue that our nervous system is responsive to the environment, allowing it to be molded over time. As a result, a lack of social coping mechanisms during childhood can lead to violent behavior. There are certain critical stages in a child's life where they learn essential guidelines for interacting with others; missing these stages may make it impossible to acquire these skills later on. Common behaviors observed among serial killers during childhood often include bed-wetting, arson, and cruelty towards animals.
Serial killers often come from dysfunctional families and have experienced mistreatment or neglect. However, they can outwardly seem completely normal and are respected members of their community. They also tend to possess intelligence and organizational skills, with some even displaying sociable traits. The reasons behind their actions are often linked to childhood neglect, abuse, and mental illness. Neglect and abuse typically characterize the upbringing of serial killers, including physical or sexual mistreatment or witnessing such violence. As a result, they grow up without developing proper empathy towards others. Mental illness plays a significant role in shaping the killer's consciousness and understanding of their behavior. While many serial killers may claim to be psychotic, only a small number have received an official diagnosis.
According to the DSM-IV, individuals diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (APD) are considered psychopaths. They consistently violate and disregard the rights of others starting at age 15. To be diagnosed with APD, individuals must meet three out of seven criteria, which include failure to conform to social norms, irritability and aggressiveness, and lack of remorse. Psychopaths manipulate, intimidate, and use violence to control others while satisfying their selfish needs. While many serial killers possess traits associated with psychopaths, not all psychopaths become serial killers. Serial killer psychopaths exhibit complete disregard for human life and extreme callousness towards their victims. In addition to mental disorders, brain damage can also contribute to psychopathic behavior. Damage to specific brain regions such as the frontal lobe and hypothalamus can result in increased aggression, loss of control, and impaired judgment.
Henry Lee, a convicted serial killer, suffered extensive brain damage in both the frontal lobe and hypothalamus as a result of childhood abuse involving malnutrition and alcoholism. Upon studying the motives and behaviors of serial killers, it became evident that there is no specific combination of traits or characteristics that all serial killers share. Rather than fitting into a standard mold, their identities are shaped by individual motives and reasons. Identifying a serial killer can be difficult as they may appear to be an ordinary person living nearby. Serial killers are only caught when they make a mistake. The information gathered from crime scenes and autopsies is stored in a database where similar crimes are matched based on the killer's unique style.
Investigators analyze the behavior of serial killers to comprehend their modus operandi and gain insight into their personality. By examining how the killer positioned or left the victim's body, detectives can discern the steps taken to commit the crime. The crime itself reflects the individuality of the killer, and capturing them often relies on understanding this connection. Detectives must link similar victims, often focusing on those who are geographically close and share physical traits. To unsettle and provoke serial killers, detectives must know how to manipulate their emotions effectively. One notable example is John Douglas, an FBI profiler specializing in serial killers who participated in a trial involving one such criminal. John convinced the jury to question whether the accused murderer was capable of committing these acts by instructing the prosecutor to physically touch and invade his personal space during questioning. This action aimed to diminish his sense of superiority and trigger an emotional response. John then asked a provocative question about the alleged killer's experience of grasping his victim's throat, which seemingly innocent inquiry incited a strong reaction from him as he relived his past actions.
The jurors observed a significant change in the man, which had a profound impact on the course of the case. Understanding individual motivations is crucial when apprehending them. As part of my research, I watched two documentaries about well-known serial killers: Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. The first documentary I viewed was "Biography: Ted Bundy: The Mind of a Killer (1995)." Ted Bundy had an impressive background - he was involved in Boy Scouts, graduated from college, pursued law studies, and became a prominent figure in Washington State politics. Throughout his upbringing, he grew up believing his grandparents were his parents and his older sister was his mother due to deception. His biological mother experienced depression and panic attacks while undergoing electro-shock therapy, while his great grandfather had a notorious reputation for violent behavior. From an early age, Ted's family noticed that he struggled with adaptation - one incident occurred when he was under the care of his aunt who eventually fell asleep.
Ted’s aunt awoke to find him strategically placing all of the kitchen knives around her body in a formation, with the blades pointing towards her. Following this disturbing incident and frequent conflicts with his step-father, Ted was compelled to relocate to Tacoma, WA. The thought of leaving his great grandfather, whom he regarded as a father figure, devastated him. After settling in Tacoma, Ted acquired a reputation among his peers for being shy. He suffered from a stutter and avoided dating, isolating himself from the social scene. During this time, he developed voyeuristic tendencies and began considering himself exempt from the law. While attending college, Ted crossed paths with a girl named Stephanie who captivated him because of her long, beautifully parted hair. Stephanie possessed wealth, sophistication, and worldly knowledge- qualities that Ted yearned for. They were in a relationship for a year during which Stephanie took Ted’s virginity. Although Ted was in love with Stephanie, she did not envision a future with him and decided to end the relationship due to doubts about his commitment to his own future.
Ted experienced a traumatic event that led him to drop out of school. Seeking clarity about his identity, he visited his relatives and discovered that his supposed "sister" was actually his biological mother. This revelation, along with a painful breakup with Stephanie, filled Ted with resentment towards both his mother and girlfriend, fueling his desire for revenge.
After years passed, Ted reconnected with Stephanie and seemed to have changed for the better in her eyes. She agreed to marry him, but he abruptly ended their relationship as an act of retaliation. However, Ted's vengeful actions didn't end there.
In 1974, when Ted was twenty-four years old and attending Washington college, he assumed a false identity as a disabled person using crutches to deceive women. By dropping his books near his van, Ted would entice women into helping him. Exploiting the situation, he would then attack them on the head with a crowbar and abduct them in his van.
Ted Bundy, a notorious serial killer, had a disturbing pattern of sexually assaulting and killing his victims. His motive stemmed from being hurt by Stephanie, who took his virginity and broke his heart, which led him to seek revenge. Ted specifically targeted small-framed females with long hair parted in the middle, resembling Stephanie. Even while in college, he studied the police task force's procedures to avoid getting caught.
Eventually, Ted was apprehended and confessed to murdering over thirty women. During his trial, he claimed that he believed he was entitled to ruining women's lives after his own life was ruined by two women. On January 24, 1989, at the age of forty-nine, Ted Bundy was executed by electric chair.
This case highlights the influence of Ted's childhood experiences that shaped him into a serial killer. His motive was driven by his desire for revenge against women who resembled Stephanie and had hurt him. Whether or not he genuinely felt remorse for his actions remains uncertain. Understanding Ted's mindset is challenging but we can observe the connection he made between his victims and the reasons behind his crimes even if it doesn't make sense to us.
The documentary I watched was titled "Biography: Jeffrey Dahmer (2000)." Jeffrey Dahmer had a happy childhood, enjoying playing with friends and having an outgoing personality. He had a particular interest in animals and was exceptionally curious, always wanting to touch and examine different textures. When he was ten, his mother was hospitalized for anxiety, and his parents' marriage began to deteriorate, forcing them to move away. As a result, Jeffrey's behavior suddenly changed, becoming socially awkward. He became intrigued by the internal organs of animals and started collecting roadkill during his early teenage years. In an interview, his father believes that everything took a turn for the worse when Jeffrey started collecting and dissecting roadkill. As a teenager, Dahmer realized his attraction to men and began experiencing thoughts of violence and sex at the age of fourteen.
Dahmer's disturbing thoughts and desires began to worsen. One of his fantasies was to lie next to an unconscious man. To fulfill this desire, Jeffrey devised a plan involving a bat to knock out a local jogger and lay beside him. However, the jogger did not appear that day, causing Dahmer to question the validity of entertaining such thoughts. As his urges intensified, Dahmer turned to excessive drinking, even consuming alcohol during school. He started visiting houses where gay men engaged in sexual activities and it was there that he found his first victim. This initial kill unleashed Dahmer's suppressed urges, leading him into a killing spree. He started meeting men at gay bars, drugging them with sleeping pills, bringing them back home, and lying beside them while listening closely to their bodily sounds. Eventually growing bored with this routine, Dahmer progressed to having sex with the drugged men before ending their lives. He would then dismember their bodies and keep certain body parts or bones as trophies—a macabre way for him to feel connected with his victims. The stench emanating from his apartment due to decomposing bodies ultimately led authorities to capture Dahmer. Upon arrest, he attempted to shift blame onto alcohol by claiming that if he had not been intoxicated, he could have evaded apprehension.
Dahmer blamed his atheistic beliefs and the theory of evolution for the murders, asserting that he was equal to the devil. He questioned the necessity of a god if everything occurred naturally, believing he could establish his own rules and asserting ownership over himself. The media's extensive attention fueled his arrogance, as he boasted to a detective that his revelations would lead to fame. Dahmer's confession spanned 159 pages, detailing thirteen years and seventeen victims. Despite pleading guilty but insane, he received a prison sentence of 937 years. While incarcerated, Dahmer expressed a desire to be baptized and return to his religious mindset. However, his life came to an end on November 29, 1994, when an inmate named "Christ" assaulted him with a metal rod from the prison gym, resulting in his death en route to the hospital.
Once again, I don't understand why he tortured and killed his victims the way he did, but just like Ted Bundy, his behavior dramatically changed in his youth, which seems to have been the turning point in both men's lives.
5. Info to be collected, Analysis. I have gathered a substantial amount of information on how serial killers evolve into the individuals they become. My aim is to learn more about the triggers that elicit different emotions in their brains. The main thing I want to ascertain is how they become so violent and capable of committing such abhorrent acts. By reading articles and watching documentaries, I have found the most effective method of analyzing serial killers. These articles, sourced from reliable outlets like the FBI, provide valuable information about their motives and behaviors. Documentaries offer a visual analysis of serial killers through observing their actions and hearing their personal accounts, enabling the understanding of what led to the killings and their exact motivations. To further examine behaviors and motives, I will continue watching documentaries not only about Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer but also other serial killers.
Even though serial killers may differ and have varying motives, they all experience the same urges. The objective behind this study is to determine if my explanations regarding the motives, behaviors, and childhood experiences of these killers also apply to others. This analysis could contribute to my understanding of the brain and its functioning. Another theory suggests that chromosome abnormalities may act as triggers for serial killers. Some researchers speculate that changes in the male chromosome makeup might be associated with this phenomenon. Ongoing research aims to investigate the nature and cause of these gene changes. As part of this assignment, I plan to examine similar chromosome abnormalities in these male serial killers. Additionally, I am interested in exploring other potential similarities, such as brain defects, among serial killers.
I will consistently review the information gathered from the testing and experiments of these doctors and researchers in hopes of obtaining new and improved information. It is valuable to watch movies and documentaries on not only serial killers, but also their families, detectives, doctors, and researchers. However, the main challenge I anticipate is the lack of sufficient evidence and consistent information, as this study is still in its early stages. Despite lingering questions, I believe I have thoroughly covered my research topic to the best of my abilities. Now, my own curiosity will continue to fuel my desire for further information beyond what has already been provided to me.
Unraveling the Minds of Serial Killers: Myths, Motivations, and Methods. (2016, Mar 09). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/inquiry-proposal-serial-killers-essay
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