Mind Behind Serial Killers

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N’Kia West April 22, 2014 English 1010 Professor Jones The Mind Behind the Crime There are many known serial killers out in this world, and of course, these serial killers are not favorited by people. Many people do not know exactly why they kill, though there are simple reasons, maybe because of their childhood, not getting the love and support that any child should get, or maybe because of a mental disorder. But what makes a serial killer conceive of such malicious acts and with disregards of morality and consequence? What drives someone to such drastic measures to go as far as killing another? Do they do it for pleasure and ease? What is a serial killer? A serial killer—according to Mary McMahon, an author who specializes and does…show more content…
Throughout the history of serial murders, there are other infamous killers in the 20th century such as Harold Shipman, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Peter Sutcliffe, and many more. These murderers are vicious, yet many people do not know what drives them to kill. Many theorists believe that the reason behind why certain people commit serial murders are biological, suggesting that these killers are born and not made, and that their violent behavior is a result of abnormal brain activity. “Psychologists believe that all serial killers demonstrate some form of antisocial personality disorder—when a person’s way of thinking is dysfunction, and in some cases, destructive—along with other psychiatric conditions which causes them to have a view of the world which is fundamentally different from that of other people” (Scott www.wisegeek.com). Ronald Holmes, a coroner and professor, stated that the motives of serial killers are generally placed in four categories; visionary, mission-oriented, power or control, and hedonistic (43-44). When a serial killer is visionary, they suffer from psychotic breaks, sometimes believing that they are another person or compelled to…show more content…
Perf. Albert DeSalvo. YouTube, 18 June 2013. Web. Bartol, Curt R., and Anne M. Bartol. Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Research and Application. Los Angeles: Sage, 2004. Print. Edmund Kemper - Serial Killer - Documentary. Perf. Edmund Kemper. YouTube, 8 June 2013. Web. Holmes, Ronald M., and Stephen T. Holmes. Mass Murder in the United States. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001. Print. Holmes, Ronald M., and Stephen T. Holmes. Murder in America. Third ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1998. Print. Holmes, Ronald M., and Stephen T. Holmes. Serial Murder. Second ed. London: Sage Publications, 1998. Print. McMahon, Mary, and Bronwyn Harris. "What Is a Serial Killer?" N.p., 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2014. <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-serial-killer.htm> Norris, Joel. Serial Killers. New York: Anchor, 1989.

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