Ted Buddy Social Process or Social Structure Theory

1195 Words5 Pages
Theodore Robert “Ted Bundy was one of the most vicious and notorious serial killers in the United States history. Bundy’s first known victim was Joni Lenz, age 21 (she survived). His first known murder victim was Lynda Ann Healy in February 1974. Bundy’s last known murder victim was 12 year old Kimberly Leach in February 1978 (Bell, n.d.). His success in finding and slaughtering his prey was often due to his meticulous planning and preparation. In other moments he simply seized upon the opportunity to charm a woman he met without any prior planning. Bundy would lure her to a place where he could rape and kill her. Bundy sometimes killed his victim before rapping her. He killed as many as 35 women, although authorities suggest that there may have been more (Bell, n.d.). Was Bundy a criminal whose activities can be linked to the “Social Structure” theory or does the “Social Process” theory better explain his behaviors? This paper looks into these theories as they may or may not apply to the criminal life of Ted Bundy. This paper finds that the Social Process theory fits the facts of Ted Bundy’s serial killing more appropriately than the Social Structure theory. Many people wonder what it takes to make a serial killer. Is there something defective in that person that means that they have the ability to commit murder without remorse or somehow enjoy the suffering of others? Do childhood abuse and other mistreatment mean that someone will grow up to be serial killers? The conflicting information about Bundy’s childhood does little to help answer these questions. On the surface, Bundy’s childhood does not appear to have the level of child abuse or neglect that one normally associates with a serial killer. He was born to a single mother in 1946, a time when there was a tremendous social stigma attached to being born illegitimate. Bundy did not experience

More about Ted Buddy Social Process or Social Structure Theory

Open Document