The Psychological Makeup and Reasons why People become Serial Killers

Student’s Name Instructor’s Name Course Date The Psychological Makeup and Reasons why People become Serial Killers Introduction Crime is a critical issue that affects the entire society and calls for a closer focus on the reasons for crime. The most significant controversies and debates have centered on the psychological makeup and the reasons behind people becoming serial killers. Criminologists, psychologists and scientists alike have been on the forefront establishing the reasons behind the prevalence of serial murders and what causes people to engage in the heinous acts. Some of the arguments for criminal behaviors base the attributes to someone’s upbringing and their life experiences, while others base their arguments on an individual’s genetic make-up outlining the complexity of the issue beyond the obvious. While the former argument focuses on someone’s nurture, the latter is related to their nature, both of which cannot be ignored when it comes to crime. A more in-depth analysis of an individual’s nurture and nature is critical in establishing and understanding the reasons behind becoming a serial killer. A multitude of psychosocial and neuro-developmental factors, which may include including brain injuries, trauma, and past experiences, and mental disorders, are the most prevalent causes and psychological issues that best explain serial homicidal behaviors. The Significance of the Study Understanding the factors contributing to the actions of serial killers as well as the influence of their psychological makeup is critical in this study. The entertainment industry has turned crimes associated with serial killers into euphoria designed to capture the attention of the audience without necessarily getting to the root cause. Some of the methods employed by the industry making serial killers increasingly popular include exaggerations, stereotypes, and celebrity status for their extraordinary skills escaping capture from the police service. Aside from the media sensation regarding serial killers, it is critical to consider broader perspectives, including historical and social circumstances that could contribute to the increasing crime and murder levels. This study delves into causes and the psychological makeup of serial killers demystifying stereotypic and uninformed opinions that form regarding the evolution of criminals into serial killers. The explorative and investigative study aims at bringing an understanding of the psychological makeup of the offenders, the impact of traumas as well as other personal experiences that have a profound effect on them. It can only be through understanding these aspects can we develop appropriate and effective early intervention measures that can reduce and entirely deter these heinous crimes. Examining the potential causes and the psychological makeup of serial serials will be beneficial in providing a deeper understanding of the adverse effects of both trauma and specific experiences by an individual. Additionally, the study will illuminate on the impact of media and entertainment towards promoting crime and creating sensations around serial murders. Lastly, political, cultural and societal frameworks are also critical factors that have significant impact and application on mental health, specifically among the marginalized societies. The analysis will help factor out the risk factors that contribute to the development of violent behaviors that cause individuals to become serial killers. By establishing these factors, timely intervention measures can be developed and steps taken towards the rehabilitation of offenders. Background Although serial murders have been there since time immemorial, the use of the word ‘serial killer’ can be traced a few decades ago. Whittington-Egan notes that the term was reportedly coined by Robert Rissler, an FBI agent, in the 1970s when investigating numerous encounters of murderers and their reason for killing people (323). Whittington-Egan, however, notes that the concept of serial murder has been in existence for many centuries. In the UK, for instance, Jack the Ripper came to be known as a vicious sexual serial killer in 1888. Dr. H.H. Homes is recognized as the earliest American serial killer, getting recognition in 1895 (Whittington-Egan 323-324). Numerous cases of serial murders were recorded dating as far back as the start of the 20th century, thus indicating the prolific nature of occurrence of these crimes through different times. The historical identification of serial killers indicates the importance of curbing the rise of this vice, and potentially rehabilitating these criminals onto the society. There are numerous challenges associated with getting accurate statistics that can be used to estimate the prevalence of serial killers. Whittington-Egan postulated that the FBI’s Behavioral Unit conducted the initial profiling of serial killers between 1979 and 1983 categorizing them into either psychotics or psychopaths and further into organized and disorganized groups (326-7). John Douglas and Robert Ressler, FBI premier profilers and investigators, sought to investigate what exactly compels an individual to kill others (5). The FBI defined a serial killer as an individual who has killed at least three people indicating the dangers of such as a person in the society (Philbin, and Philbin 3). Defining and classifying serial killers is the first step to understanding their nature and motivation for engaging in mass murders. The law enforcement officers and investigators play a critical role in establishing the number of serial killers that may be operating at any given time. The Radford University/FGCU Serial Killer Database indicates that as of September 2016, 4,743 serial killers had been recorded against 13,105 victims (Aamodt 1). By 2016, the United States accounted for 67.58% of the total number of serial killers totaling to 3,204 serial murderers. On average, whites dominate the list of US serial killers as compared to other races. For instance, white serial killers account for an average of 51.7%, followed by black serial killers at 39.8%, Hispanics at 6.7%, 0.9 % for Asian and 1.0% for Native American serial killers (Aamodt 6). Additionally, men account for the majority of serial killers contributing to an average of 88.6% between 1900 and 2010 against 11.4% that can be attributed to women internationally (Aamodt 7). In the United States, men serial killers account for an average of 90.8% against women’s 9.2% (Aamodt 8). According to Henson and Olson, a third of all prostitute killings are attributable to serial murderers (356). The outstanding trend notable in these characteristics is that most serial killers are mostly men. In dealing with potential cases of serial murders, however, overlooking potential perpetrators based on gender or race would be misleading and would not deliver the correct results. Nonetheless, these unique characteristics shape the perspectives of people in regards to serial murderers. Specific characteristics of murder victims can also be mapped out. For instance, most of the victims of serial killers are usually strangers with the killer are often involved in risky lifestyles (James & Proulx ‘Modus’ 220). The 2014 study by James and Proulx also established that the majority of victims were females, accounting for 82% and aged 25 years on average (James & Proulx 594). Keppel and Birnes note that serial offenders are usually not satisfied with committing or stopping with violent crime; they feel compelled to proceed with other crimes (10). The most common victims of serial murderers are young women, mostly by male perpetrators. Stereotypes There is a multitude of stereotypes attached to serial killers, the majority of which are not nearly correct. Some stereotypes suggest that serial murders do not engage in the crimes to enrich themselves with finances, participating in deliberate criminal activities, or even to avert possible arrests. The evidence, however, conflicts such assertions. Aamodt, for instance, lists the most common and broad motives in descending order of impact as follows: “enjoyment (thrill, lust, and power), financial gain, anger, multiple motives, and gang/criminal activities, to avoid arrest, cult, convenience, hallucinations and attention” (11). These motives have accounted for the reasons behind the actions of the serial killers. Such stereotypes are misleading and are likely to mask the real perpetrators in the case of a potential serial killing. Therefore, it is critical to remain vigilant when investigating serial murderers, avoiding obstructions brought by stereotypes. Another stereotype is that serial killers are usually Caucasian males. The reason behind the stereotype is that the majority of serial killers recorded in the last century are mostly Caucasian males. Statistics, showing the percentage of serial killers by race and decade, indicated an average 51.7% of serial killers by 2010 to be whites. Conversely, while whites accounted for 30.8% of serial killers in the 2010 decade, black serial killers accounted for 59.8% for the same period. Another stereotype is that serial murders are generally considered highly intelligent. While the highest serial killer IQ recorded has been 186 while the lowest is 54, the average IQ for serial murderers is 94.5% (Aamodt 12). Such stereotypes have played a critical role in shaping the opinions of people regarding serial murderers. Clearly, from these stereotypes, it is evident that the prevalence of serial killers cannot merely be underpinned in any particular racial group. Literature Review While the heinous actions of serial killers are made increasingly pop...