thesis statement for research paper on serial killers

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The Making of a Serial Killer: A literature study into the effects of Cognitive, Biological and Social psychological factors in serial killing.

2019, Bucks New University

Although serial killing was only defined in 1988, there is still more research to be conducted into the causes of this phenomena. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to look into potential causes of serial killing, with emphasis on social, biological and cognitive psychology. A plethora of literature and various case studies of incarcerated serial killers have been used to support or debunk the theories explored. Serial murderer is classified as the murder of 3 or more victims by the same offender, over multiple locations with the presence of a cooling off period (Ressler et al, 1988). Definitional problems with defining serial murder has led to confusion when classifying murder and therefore its causes. Social psychology explores the nurture side of the ‘nature vs nurture’ debate, with emphasis on childhood trauma, re-enactment and self-evaluation. Biological psychology explores the nature side of the debate, with emphasis on chromosomal abnormalities, a biological predisposition for crime and other biological functions. Cognitive psychology explores how brain dysfunctions can lead to serial murder, with emphasis on head injury causing frontal lobe damage. Lastly, personality disorders are explored in relation to social, biological and cognitive psychology and how they link to serial killing. After reviewing the evidence, it is reasonable to suggest that there is not one singular cause of serial killing, rather a variety of social, biological and cognitive factors and that can cause someone to be susceptible or expedite the process of becoming a serial killer.

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DJ Williams

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Conducting systematic research on serial homicide is complicated by variations in definition, sample size, data sources and collection procedures. This review will identify the challenges of utilizing data to study serial homicide and propose new methods to address these limitations. Almost three decades ago, Kiger (1990) highlighted the limitations of employing then existing data to study the social problem of serial murder and called for the creation of new sources to allow for quantitative assessments that used empirical data. In response, serial homicide researchers – previously operating in ‘information silos’ – contributed information to the ‘Serial Homicide Expertise and Information Sharing Collaborative’ to build a comprehensive record of serial homicide offending in partnership with the ‘Radford/FGCU Serial Killer Database Project’. Providing serial homicide data in an open access format empowers users to increase data reliability by interacting with the information to supply edits and corrections. Statistical evidence generated from the data enables analysts to disprove ingrained myths and stereotypes about serial murderers using valid data. Impaneled experts applied the Modified Delphi Technique and proposed adopting the broad term ‘multiple-event murderer’ to counter some institutionalized definitional differences. The exploration of creating a dashboard to track instances of serial homicide alongside further study of serial offenders committing revenge murders, witness elimination and robbery homicides, organized crime, contract and gang killings is recommended.

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Development of Serial Killers

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In society today, we are constantly surprised by the outlandish actions that mankind is capable of. We see it on the news, watch films and series about serial killers, and even read about mysterious killers in novels. Serial killing is a phenomenon that people find both intriguing and scary. This exploratory study will compare a detailed and descriptive analysis of three infamous serial killers in the United States: Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy. This paper will explore their psychopathic traits, analyze individual case studies for each killer, and find similarities and differences between them to identify possible life events and factors biological (nature) or environmental (nurture) leading them to become serial killers. Also, the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (Hare, 1991) will be used to see if they meet the criteria of a psychopath, this is done by looking at their characteristics, lifestyles, and their behaviors. The aim of this literature review is to determine if nature or nurture is stronger in the upbringing of a serial killer. The debate between nature versus nurture has been going on for decades resulting in new questions constantly arising. The methodology used for this research was primarily through a multiple case study analysis. The majority of the data has been gathered from novels, Netflix documentaries, and articles about serial killers. The result of the study evidently presents that although nature and nurture may both play a role in one becoming a serial killer, the study supports the thesis that nature proves to be prevailing.

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Introduction

Demographics of serial killers in the us, lack of sympathy, a common background, what motivates a serial killer, serial killers and psychopathic personality disorder.

Multiple murderers can be grouped into three: mass killer, who murder three or more persons at one time, spree killers, who murder in three or more places with no time difference, and serial killers. However, for this paper, we will focus on serial killers.

A serial killer is generally defined as a person who has killed three or more people over a period usually more than one month, with a space in between the murder, and whose reason for killing can be pegged to psychological factors (Singer and Hensley, 2004).

Other scholars define it as “a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, but not always, by one offender acting alone” (Morse, 2011). Frequently, a sexual aspect is linked to the murders, but the FBI asserts that reasons for multiple killings include anger, joy, financial motivation, and attention seeking.

Psychologists have for a long time researched the topic of multiple murders, or serial killers. The main questions that psychologists attempt to answer in these studies are: where does the drive to kill originate? Why is the urge to kill more powerful in some individuals than in others?

Can potential murderers be identified and halted before it happens? Do murderers have sympathy for their victims? These are just a fraction of questions that require answers in order to have a complete understanding of the psychology of serial killers. Unfortunately, no concrete answers have been found and research is ongoing (Castle & Hensley, 2002).

The demographics of serial killers have always been a subject of debate, and largely depend on the source of information. In the US, the largest number of reported serial killers are always white males from a lower to middle class homes, typically in their twenties.

However, the FBI reports that there have also been African American, Asian, and Latino serial killers as well. Criminology experts have asserted that the proportion of African American serial killers reflects their overall percentage in the general population. However, one area of agreement is that whites are more likely to be serial killers than individuals from other races.

Several studies have indicated that due to their psychopathic nature, serial killers do not know have sympathy for their victims, their immediate families, or the general population. Instead, they train themselves to imitate ordinary human conduct by observing other individuals. It is all a controlling act aimed at luring people to their trap before they strike (Morse, 2011). Serial killers have been described as actors with a natural desire to act.

Henry Lee Lucas (1936-2001), a known serial killer who killed 11 individuals, once described being a serial killer as “being like a movie-star … you’re just playing the part” (Singer and Hensley, 2004). Another serial killer, John Wayne Gacy (1942-1984) always dressed up as a clown, and in court, Ted Bundy (1946-1989) told the judge, “I’m disguised as an attorney today” (Arrigo and Griffin, 2004). Bundy had in the past pretended to be a kindhearted rape crisis center counselor.

Roaming serial killers like to hold a position of influence. Gacy was an energetic, friendly and even became a member of the Jaycees, a leadership training and leadership forum. A number of serial killers also joined the military and became active members, such as David Berkowitz. Playing the role of police is, however, their favorite disguise. Carrying police identification and moving on a bike resembling that of police not only makes serial killers feel important, but also allows to reach their unsuspecting victims with ease.

Yet, when serial killers are caught, they take on a “mask of insanity”- pretending to have multiple personality disorder, schizophrenia, or are psychotic, anything that can exonerate them from their crimes. And when they finally reveal themselves, serial killers do not wholly drop the acting role. Bundy once said, “what’s one less person on the face of the earth anyway?” (Arrigo and Griffin, 2004), a statement that shows serial killer’ lack of sympathy for their victims, immediate families and the general population.

Serial killers have always held an attraction for many people regarding their actions. The thought that a person can become so twisted and psychotic, to the point of murdering not one, but three or more individuals, is a strange field of study. Many studies have investigated the factors that may make a person to become a serial killer, and many of these factors have been found to have a psychological aspect.

A majority of serial; killers have been found to have had a troubled childhood ranging from broken or abusive families, with little or no parental care and no positive social relations with the family members.

This unstable background makes them to develop anomalous ideas of what is normal for a person to do, for instance, sexually abusing other persons or exhibiting excessive violence, and in repeating the behaviors they underwent and lived through, they become more and more violent, eventually reaching the level of multiple murders. Other experiences such as neglect and abuse at childhood have been found to influence serial killers.

This troubled upbringing prevents these persons from developing a set of normal behaviors that judge how we should react in specific situations, and how we should socialize with others.

This makes them to be socially backward, however, outwardly, they seem to be normal, but secretly, they think that they are in some way above other people, and they are not fit to interact with normal people as they will be lowering their status. Therefore, they try as much as they can to avoid interacting with other people, but when they do, they act normally.

It has been observed although child abuse is only appears to be physical and mental, the act greatly affects the victims psychological make up (Castle & Hensley, 2002). It corrupts the thinking of such a person and can lead to the horror for which serial killers are known to exhibit. Abuse at childhood has been found to be common among renowned serial killers.

For instance, Charles Manson, was born to a negligent mother who placed him in a foster home and he lived on his own for a major part of his childhood. This background, coupled with the fact that he never knew who his biological father was, is likely to have affected him psychologically. Another serial killer, Ted Bundy, was born to a single mother, and later lived with stepfather.

Psychologists have for a long time researched into what makes a person become so violent that they kill several people with no indication of sympathy or remorse. Some serial killers view themselves as completing a task given to them by God, or some form of high authority.

The serial killers view their acts as a spiritual call to cleanse the society of a group the killer identifies as evil, a risk to the human race, or simply repugnant. Serial killers that fall in this category are especially dangerous, since they frequently view their actions a service to mankind, and compulsory.

Serial killers that had a troubled background usually kill in order to exercise power and authority over their victims. This often stems from feelings of helplessness and fright in their formative years. Serial killers who fall in this category are normally haunted by their experiences and in killing others, they aim to erase or revenge the horrifying abuse they encountered.

However, in attributing serial killing to upbringing, we must recognize that there are many people who had an abusive childhood, but did not grow up to become serial killers. Therefore, childhood abuse is not the sole reason for violent crime. Norris (1988) writes that parents that abuse their children infuse in them an almost instinctive reliance on violence as a solution to any challenge.

While some parents believe that by being strict disciplinarians, they would help prepare the child for the tough world, they are at times wrong. Having a close bond with the parents enables the child to trust others later in life, a lack of it can lead to isolation, and violence seems as the only way to achieve satisfaction (Castle & Hensley, 2002).

When the children become adults, all they know are their fantasies of wielding authority and power. They have not developed sympathy or love for other people, rather, they see human beings as objects of performing their violent fantasies.

Other serial killers murder others for the utter thrill or excitement of their acts. The main motive of such a killer is to rouse pain or create fear in their victims and this provides excitement to them. The thrill of the capture and the kill, and the thought of receiving wide attention through various media and police coverage are motivation enough to go on killing.

To them, killing provides the ‘high’ similar to that felt by persons that engage in high risk acts such as sky diving and motor bike stunts. Thrill serial killers mainly target strangers, although they may have followed them for quite some time (Norris, 1988).

For instance, Robert Hansen indicated in one his letters that, “[killing] gives me the most thrilling experience it is even better than getting your rocks off with a girl” (Perri and Lichtenwald, 2010). A surviving victim Coral Watts talked of him as “excited and hyper and clappin’ and just making noises like he was excited, that this was gonna be fun” (Perri and Lichtenwald, 2010) during a 1982 attack. Watts killed his victims by slashing, stabbing, hanging, drowning, suffocating, and strangulating.

Other motivations for serial killers include financial gains, anger, ideology (spread the beliefs of a certain group) and psychosis (Arrigo and Griffin, 2004). Even though these intentions are legitimate, it is very difficult to discover the actual incentive for a particular killer. This is because motive identification is always limited to the visible objects left behind by the killer, and by the correct identification of these objects. Additional information may be provided by the killer’s history and by the limited chance of a surviving victim.

Most serial killers, while differing in their modes of killing their victims, display a similarity in some aspects. They exhibit a lack of remorse or regret, being impetuous, the desire to have control or exercise their authority, are in search of attention, and display conduct that is predatory in nature.

Basically, these are the characteristics of a psychopath, described as a person who shows a personality disorder characterized by aggression, violence, antisocial behavior, and shows no remorse or kindness. A psychopath can commit unimaginable activities with coolness, while displaying rationality. The scariest part of a serial killer’s life is that they lead a completely normal life (Levin and Fox, 2008).

An example Jeffrey Dahmer (1960-1994) who, while leading a perfectly normal public life, killed and ate young men. He was also able to exhibit calmness in the middle of confusion. For instance, when one of his 14-year old victims escaped into the streets, the police were called in but he was able to convince the police that the boy was his 19-year-old boyfriend who had drunk too much alcohol, the boy was handed over to him. Jeffrey killed the boy that night (Perri and Lichtenwald, 2010).

The relation between serial killing and psychopathy is strong because while not all psychopaths will, of course, not become serial killers, almost all serial killers display traits related to psychopathy. These persons do not value human life. Even though psychopathy alone does not explain serial killers, it provides a fascinating perspective into their character.

The concept of psychosis has also been used to explain serial killers. Described as the loss of contact with reality, psychosis is characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and irrationality. Even though widely disregarded, the concept of psychosis can be used to explain the behavior of some serial killers.

Foe example, Herbert Mullin confessed that he killed to save California from a cataclysmic earthquake. However, some serial killers have been used to use this claim, along with those of schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder to explain their behavior in order to exonerate themselves. Research into the mind of serial killers is ongoing and in the future, perhaps we will be able to identify serial killers before they strike on the first or subsequent victims.

Arrigo, B. and Griffin, A. (2004). Serial Murder and the Case of Aileen Wuornos: Attachment Theory, Psychopathy, and Predatory Aggression. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 22 (3): 375–393.

Castle, T., & Hensley, C. (2002). Serial killers with military experience: Applying learning theory to serial murder . International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology , 46 (4), 453-465.

Levin, J., and Fox, A. (2008). Normalcy in Behavioral Characteristics of the Sadistic Serial Killer. Serial Murder and the Psychology of Violent Crimes , Part I, 3-14.

Morse, S. J. (2011). Psychopathy – What Is Psychopathy?. Law Library – American Law and Legal Information . Crime and Justice Vol 3.

Norris, J. (1988). Serial Killers . London: Doubleday.

Perri, F. S. and Lichtenwald, T. G. (2010). The Last Frontier: Myths & The Female Psychopathic Killer, Forensic Examiner , 19:2, 50-67.

Singer, S. D and Hensley, C (2004). Learning theory to childhood and adolescent firesetting: Can it lead to serial murder. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 48 (4): 48, 461–476.

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IvyPanda. (2018, October 10). The Psychology of Serial Killers. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-psychology-of-serial-killers/

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Title: Serial Killer Subject of Undergraduate Research Thesis

Grace O’Toole (C’18) explored the intersection of psychology and the legal system by focusing her senior thesis on Florida serial killer Aileen Wuornos.

Grace O’Toole’s fascination with the psychological underpinnings of the legal system led her to do her senior thesis on the execution of Florida serial killer Aileen Wuornos.

O’Toole (C’18), an American studies major and psychology and English minor who will graduate later this week, became interested in the case after taking two courses – Prisons and Punishment with government professor Marc Howard and Psychology and the Legal System with psychology professor Jennifer Woolard.

The graduating senior believes Wuornos, executed in 2002 for the murder of six men and the subject of the 2003 film Monster , was severely mentally ill and that her treatment in the criminal justice system didn’t “meaningfully incorporate mental health policy.”

Mitigating Factors

“Wournos’ execution today may have been considered unconstitutional,” O’Toole said during a presentation of her senior thesis. “She was arguably mentally ill at the time of execution and her clinical evaluations before that execution were less than an hour-and-a-half and were based on Florida’s competency standards that are more stringent compared to others.”

O’Toole noted that Wuornos was abandoned by her mother and sexually abused by family members and others starting at a very young age.

“I am investigating the way that mitigating factors such as childhood background, development and abuse are de-emphasized or not taken into relevancy in trials and cases and appeals,” she said. “With Aileen Wuornos’ case, there was a definite use of her case politically to support crime and punishment values.”

Humanizing Evil

Howard, director of the university’s Prisons and Justice Initiative, said O’Toole is “clearly not afraid to take on a really difficult project that deals with very emotional, even traumatic issues that most people I think would want to shy away from or even pretend don’t exist.”

“I think she’s helping to shed light on the much larger and more common systemic problem in our criminal justice system,” said Howard, O’Toole’s thesis advisor. “She’s humanizing the person who clearly did evil things but also understanding the background and the context and then the larger implications of the kind of one-size-fits-all criminal justice system which in the end is not very humane.”

O’Toole of Bronxville, New York, hopes to work as a paralegal after graduation before considering law school.

Making a Contribution

All American studies majors are required to do an interdisciplinary senior thesis, many of which are 60 to 80 pages long.

“The American Studies undergraduate program at Georgetown is known around the country for the rigor of the senior thesis process,” said Erika Seamon, an American studies associate teaching professor whom O’Toole considers a mentor. “The students dare to cross the bounds of disciplines and in doing so they are forced to play with multiple methodologies … to read very different kinds of text and … engage with primary sources in ways that allow them to confidently … say that they are making a contribution to scholarship in their field.”

Seamon said many of the students’ projects “feel like graduate-level work.”

A Georgetown Family

O’Toole, whose parents, Kimberly (B’88, L’91) and Edmund (L’91) met at Georgetown Law, became interested in attending the university several years before she applied.

“Throughout high school, I had it in my mind to do well on this test so that everything’s good for Georgetown,” she said. “I applied to other early action schools, but once I got into Georgetown I withdrew all my other applications because I knew I only wanted to come here.”

Her younger sister, Brennan O’Toole, is a member of the Class of 2020.

Jesuit Ideals

The graduating senior said Catholic traditions have always been part of her family, and she has found it comforting to be at a Jesuit institution like Georgetown.

“A lot of the Jesuit ideals were something I didn’t even know were important to me but I did find myself throughout my process having those be subconsciously at the forefront,” she said.

While she sometimes worries that her senior thesis topic will make her seem “fascinated with the dark and depraved,” the graduating senior says she really just wants to view cases such as Wuornos’ through the critical lens of understanding human behavior.

“Wuornos even said if she’d had support when she was young, she would have turned out differently,” O’Toole said. “There are pockets and stories of America that are not always explored because it’s hard to look at, but nothing will get remediated if people just look away.”

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The Zodiac Killer: a Case Finally Solved

This essay about the Zodiac Killer examines recent developments in the decades-old case that terrorized Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It highlights the role of advanced DNA technology and genetic genealogy in bringing investigators closer to identifying the killer. A significant breakthrough came with the cracking of the Z340 cipher by amateur codebreakers in 2020. The essay also discusses the intriguing theory involving Gary Francis Poste, a California house painter linked to the case by circumstantial evidence and independent investigators. While this theory remains unconfirmed, the relentless pursuit of truth by both historical and modern investigators underscores the enduring impact of the Zodiac case on popular culture and criminal investigation.

How it works

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Northern California was plagued by the dread and mystery surrounding the person known only as The Zodiac Killer. Over the years, this infamous persona claimed the lives of at least five people, sent cryptic letters to the public and police, and sparked a plethora of ideas and conjectures. The Zodiac Killer’s identity remained one of the most mysterious unsolved cases in American criminal history for many years. But new information has made us more likely than ever to figure out who this elusive murderer really is.

In the years following the initial crimes, investigators were inundated with thousands of tips, theories, and potential suspects. Despite extensive efforts, the Zodiac’s identity remained concealed behind a veil of ciphers and cryptic messages. One of the most famous of these ciphers, the Z340, was finally cracked by a team of amateur codebreakers in 2020. This breakthrough, while not revealing the killer’s identity directly, reignited interest in the case and demonstrated the power of collaborative effort in solving long-standing mysteries.

A significant breakthrough came with the advancement of DNA technology. Genetic genealogy, a technique that combines DNA analysis with genealogical research, has revolutionized cold case investigations. This method was famously used to apprehend the Golden State Killer in 2018, and it seemed only a matter of time before it would be applied to the Zodiac case. In recent years, investigators have been meticulously combing through DNA evidence collected from the Zodiac’s letters and other crime scenes. While the process is painstaking and complex, it has yielded promising leads that suggest we may be on the brink of identifying the Zodiac Killer.

One compelling theory that has gained traction involves a man named Gary Francis Poste. Poste, a house painter from California, was linked to the case through a combination of circumstantial evidence and the work of an independent group of investigators known as the Case Breakers. According to their findings, Poste bore a striking resemblance to police sketches of the Zodiac, and his name could be decoded within the Zodiac’s ciphers. Additionally, several eyewitnesses and people who knew Poste reported suspicious behavior and cryptic comments that seemed to align with the Zodiac’s profile.

While the theory surrounding Gary Francis Poste is intriguing, it is important to approach it with caution. The Zodiac case is notorious for generating numerous suspects and theories, many of which have been debunked over time. Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and local police departments, have yet to confirm Poste as the definitive suspect. The evidence remains largely circumstantial, and without concrete DNA proof or a direct confession, it is difficult to conclusively solve the case.

Another fascinating aspect of the Zodiac case is the cultural impact it has had over the years. The Zodiac Killer has inspired a plethora of books, movies, and documentaries, each offering their own interpretations and theories. This cultural fascination has kept the case in the public eye, ensuring that it remains an active topic of discussion and investigation. The Zodiac’s cryptic letters, which often included astrological symbols and references, added an element of dark allure that has captivated true crime enthusiasts and armchair detectives alike.

Despite the numerous challenges and dead ends, the quest to solve the Zodiac case has also highlighted the resilience and determination of those involved in the investigation. From the original detectives who painstakingly collected evidence and followed leads, to the modern-day sleuths who utilize cutting-edge technology and innovative methods, the commitment to solving this case has never wavered. Each new piece of evidence, each decoded cipher, brings us one step closer to understanding the truth behind one of America’s most infamous serial killers.

In conclusion, the Zodiac Killer case remains one of the most compelling and enigmatic mysteries in criminal history. Recent advancements in DNA technology and the persistent efforts of investigators have brought us closer than ever to identifying the perpetrator. While theories like the one involving Gary Francis Poste offer intriguing possibilities, definitive answers remain elusive. The cultural impact of the Zodiac case continues to fuel interest and investigation, ensuring that the quest for justice and closure will endure. Whether or not the Zodiac Killer’s identity is ultimately confirmed, the pursuit of truth in this case serves as a testament to the enduring power of human curiosity and determination.

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"The Zodiac Killer: A Case Finally Solved." PapersOwl.com, Jul 16, 2024. Accessed July 21, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-zodiac-killer-a-case-finally-solved/

"The Zodiac Killer: A Case Finally Solved," PapersOwl.com , 16-Jul-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-zodiac-killer-a-case-finally-solved/. [Accessed: 21-Jul-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Zodiac Killer: A Case Finally Solved . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-zodiac-killer-a-case-finally-solved/ [Accessed: 21-Jul-2024]

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