Serial Killers have long fascinated the general public, not only because their crimes are so heinous, but also because they embody the extremes to which psychological disorders can take a person. In the name of psychological insight, the lives of serial killers are dissected down to the most minute detail in the hopes of understanding what factors contribute to making a 'monster'. The Crime Classification Manual defines serial murder as "three or more separate events in three or more separate locations with an emotional cooling off period in between the homicides." (Douglas et al., 1992). What motivates the serial killer is an area of much research. Whether we are any further ahead in our understanding of the psychotic personality is debatable, however. The question of environment vs. genetics is a matter of contention in the study of serial killers, as is the question of power vs. pleasure motive. y looking….

Serial killers are not common, but they are fascinating because of the need to understand the phenomenon.
There is no one definition of a serial killer, but there are some defining characteristics that set them apart from other murderers.

Serial killers present serious issues for law enforcement, due to the tendency for serial killers to blend in easily and appear "normal."

There is no one exact definition of a serial killer, from a legal, historical, psychological, or sociological viewpoint.

"In the past thirty years, multiple definitions of serial murder have been used by law enforcement, clinicians, academia, and researchers," (Blackwelder, 2010).

"There has yet to be a universally accepted definition for serial murder," Nelson (2004)

Definitions have differed over time, and differ according to context and culture (Nelson, 2004).

B. Definitions of serial killer differ on the grounds of:

Minimum number of murders: in some cases is 2, in others 3, and yet others the minimum number is….

Currently the DSM-IV refers to both these as antisocial personality disorder with the following criteria:
A. Pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, occurring since age 15 as indicated by at least three of the following: 1. Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behavior. 2. Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure. 3. Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead. 4. Irritability and aggressiveness. 5. Reckless disregard for the safety of self or others. 6. Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain work behavior or honor financial obligations. 7. Lack of remorse, as indicated by indifference to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another

B. Individual is at least 18 years of age

C. The occurrence of the behavior is not exclusively during the course of a schizophrenic or manic….

A lot of the serial killers recognize that killing these people are wrong, this is true because when they are finished with their crime, they find some kind of way to dispose of the body.
Conclusion

In the end, it is a scary fact is that the United Sates is the most leading serial killing country in the entire world. It appears that no other country can even match the U.S. It is obvious that new serial killers or cases seem to be popping up every year which can cause quite a bit of a panic from people. It is also a slightly scary thing that there are more serial killers running around that there are police that would actually admit it. . As Pat Brown makes the point earlier in the essay, serial killers actually believe that they cannot get caught. There is an arrogant side to all of them.….

Serial Killer Social Construction Theories
A serial killer can be defined as a person who kills more than four victims in a moderately short period of time usually 72 hours (Larson, 2011). Serial killings usually take place in different locations and have no connection with the preceding assassination. For a serial killer, substantial gain is not the drive for killing his victim. Instead, it is his craving of power and strength over the 'prey' that motivates him to take an innocent life (Giannangelo, 1996).

There are a number of theories that have been propounded in order to understand the origins, foundations and causes of the social construction of a serial killer. The first theory that needs to be discussed is the Social Process Theory. The childhood experiences of a serial murderer contribute significantly in his making into an atrocious 'animal'. The personality of a serial murderer is seriously affected by the early….

Serial killers have struck fear in the hearts of people, yet the public remains fascinated and intrigued by the crimes perpetrated by these individuals. There are several theories and factors that have been attributed to serial killers in an attempt to explain their behaviors. Furthermore, by identifying the behaviors that are exhibited by serial killers, law enforcement professionals are able to gather information about these serial killers that will assist in the apprehension of the criminal.
In the majority of serial homicides, a motivating factor, in addition to domination and manipulation of a victim, is the sexual gratification and desire that is experienced by the serial killer. Serial killers murder individuals because they believe, and feel, that the act will fulfill them and they will continue to murder people as long as they can (Douglas 191). The definition of serial killer may be distinguished from that of a spree killer and/or….

This is in direct contrast to male serial killers, who more often select random, unknown individuals as their victims (Mouzos & West, 2007). In fact, it is estimated that around 70% of female serial killers select family members or someone who is dependent on them as a victim. An example of this is both filicide and infanticide, which are crimes most commonly committed by women (Aki, 2003, cited in Mouzos & West, 2007). In addition to this, cases of health care professionals murdering their patients are women in around half of all cases, both in the U.S. And other countries (Yorker et al., 2006). The majority of these cases have occurred where the female in question was a nurse, murdering either children or elderly victims in their care. The explanation of this pattern is not clear, given that there is little in terms of extrinsic gains achieved. There is….

This is often seen as the most important aspect to focus on. However, it has also been realized that societal and cultural aspects can also influence the development of the serial killer.
Psychological causes that are related to the psyche of the serial killer include the aforementioned Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Genetic predisposition and makeup are also given as a formative developmental cause of this crime. However, psychological and genetic aspects are often inadequate to explain the development of the serial killer. hile a convicted killer like Ted Bundy was subject to forms of psychological abuse as a child, yet one of the most notorious serial killers, Jeffery Dahmer, was "..., born to two parents who loved and wanted him. His child hood was a happy one. He loved animals, and did not have a bit of trouble. " However, "hen he reached the sixth grade, there was a downfall,….

Serial Killers - Psychopathic Behavior
One of the most common challenges impacting society, is determining when a person is showing psychopathic behavior. In the world of healthcare, these signs can underscore someone who is a serial killer that will strike out at the most vulnerable patients. This is the case with Kristen Gilbert. She was a respected nurse, who was known for her professionalism. However, between 1995 and 1996 over 40 people died on her watch. This raised concerns about her involvement in these incidents. (Farragher, 2000)

After a lengthy investigation, she was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. It uncovered that Kristen was a very cold and calculating person. This led to her targeting veterans who trusted her and were unable to stand up for themselves. To fully understand the way the investigation evolved requires carefully examining the procedures, the role of the community, the levels….

All of these killers had problem childhoods, often including sexual abuse. Almost all of them had some kind of psychological disorder, and many were declared criminally insane.
All the killers had a compulsion to continue killing. None of them stopped with one or two victims, in fact, the more they killed the more they wanted to kill. In addition, most of the male serial killers became increasingly violent and disturbed as they continued to kill. Authors Fox and Levin state, "It is commonplace for serial killers to increase the level of brutality as they get bored with less vicious behavior and as they grow more comfortable with murder. It is also not unusual for them to branch out to more respectable victims as they become convinced that they are smarter than the police and will never be apprehended" (Fox, and Levin 76). Most of the killers admitted to what they….

Dennis ader (the BTK Killer)
Dennis ader BTK: The Killer

Serial killers can be defined as people who murder at least three people in at least three separate occasions over a span of time mainly to satisfy themselves psychologically. While many of them suffer from Antisocial Personality Disorder, they adapt and present a normal front to people around them - a state Hervey Cleckley refers to as 'mask of sanity'. Some of the murders may have some sexual aspect to them. The murders may have been executed in such a way that there was some common characteristic in them. This could be sex, occupation, race, etc. Nonetheless, the victim's and the serial killer's race is seldom the same (Vronsky, 2004).

It is not yet known who exactly coined the term serial killer. Many believe that obert essler, an FBI agent, or obert D. Keppel may have been the one who coined it. The….

Serial and Mass Murders: Forensic Psychiatry at Its Best
Forensic Psychiatry: Mass Murderers and Serial Killers

The status of Forensic Psychiatry has suffered ignominy regarding its ethical standpoint and pragmatic effectiveness for far too long (Arboleda-Florez, 2006). That it has at all been able to gain significance as a super specialty has been mainly due to the diligent and sustained efforts of a few scattered handfuls of them who chose to brave the convicts and study prison inmates. Today, the contributions of such forensic super specialists in the legal proceedings are proving to have a major influence in lawsuits involving mass murders as well as serial murders.

The journey of Forensic Psychiatric has greatly benefitted in medico-legal adjudications in recent times. From being able to cast an offender solely as a criminal to a mentally abnormal, as well as, that requires a different treatment than being simply banished from social life is an….

Serial Killers
Early Signs of a Serial Killer

hile every serial killer is different, there are certain signs that tend to be common to them. Many of these signs are seen well before adulthood, some even as early as childhood. Some of the major signs include a tendency for aggressive behavior, a tendency to engage in sadist behavior, an obsession with examples of behavior linked to serial killing, and a lack of empathy for others. Each of these four major signs will now be looked at in more detail.

One aspect of behavior that is common to serial killers is a tendency for aggressive behavior.

Aggression is defined as "behavior intended to injure another person" (Seamon & Kenrick 592). This aggression can be physical, for example, in the form of hitting another person. It can also be non-physical, for example, calling someone a hostile name. Aggression often begins as early as childhood. At this….

Serial Killers and Victim Selection
A serial killer is a term used to describe a person who undertakes a series of crimes exceeding three in number with the killing exhibiting a common characteristic (Knight & Zelda, 2006). The depicted common characteristic suggests the possibility that the murder crimes were undertaken by one person (Knight & Zelda, 2006). In the study of serial killers, criminologists have drawn links between the offenders and their victims. It is, however, notable that, between team serial killers and the individual murders, there exist some similarities and differences.

Team serial killers are made up of two or more killers undertaking their operations as a team to select their victim, to subdue them and kill them. Both team and individual serials killers are said to derive pleasure and a sense of control over their victims as the victim displays a sense of fear and helplessness in the eyes of….

serial killers and feminism. The writer uses a book and a film to explore what the feminist film contributes to the understanding by society of serial killers. There were two sources used to complete this paper.
Very few things strike fear in the hearts of Americans the way that serial killers do. Serial killers place terror in the hearts of many because of their very unpredictability. They strike without warning and there doesn't seem to be a logical reason for the pattern that they choose initially. Once the pattern begins to emerge there is often a reason or pattern for the choices the killer makes in victims, but initially it seems like nothing more than a crap shoot and people are afraid of their strikes. For many years people have studied the patterns and lives of serial killers in the effort to establish how they are created. Other studies are….

While psychology refers to the study of the mind, clinical psychology specifically refers to that branch of the discipline that focuses on using psychology to create positive change, whether in individual lives or in the community as a whole.  There is a wide variety of topics you could approach in your thesis, depending on what topic interests you the most.  

Topic Ideas

1. The diagnosis of mental disorders in children: how young is too young to diagnose and does a diagnosis turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy for young children?
2. Diagnosing the non-patient: with many in the mental health fields....
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Serial killers are a topic that has fascinated people, beginning before the term was even coined.  They have been romanticized in pop culture, but their crimes seem to be rooted in a personality disorder that keeps them from empathizing with others.  They kill in a variety of ways and, when left unchecked, the number of people that they can kill can get into the 100s. 

Some subtopics to consider when writing about serial killers for your essay topic are:

1. The role of Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) in serial murders.
2. Psychopath or sociopath?  Where on the spectrum of personality....
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Criminal investigation is a broad field of study that covers any and all of the elements that go into solving a crime and building a legal case against the suspects.  Considered one of the applied sciences, there are actually several career paths for the criminal investigator.  Likewise, people from different disciplines may find themselves doing criminal investigative work.  For example, as science has evolved, the role of geneticists and genetic genealogists in criminal investigation and forensic science has really explored. 

When writing your paper, you have two distinct approaches you can take.  You can write a....

Given the popularity of online dating and dating apps, writing an argumentative essay against online dating is a good choice.  It is always more interesting to write a position paper that may be unusual, because it is unlikely to recycle the same arguments that your professor will see in other papers.  There is actually a myriad of reasons that online dating may not be as successful (or as safe) as traditional in-person dating, and any of these reasons could serve as the basis for an argumentative essay.  They include but are not limited to potential....