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The Psychology of Serial Killers

Categories: Serial Killer

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Words: 780 |

Published: Jan 29, 2024

Words: 780 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Motivations of serial killers, personalities of serial killers, psychological theories explaining serial killers' actions, case studies: analysis of prominent serial killers, psychological profiling of serial killers, ethical considerations in the study of serial killers, prevention and treatment approaches.

Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2017). Introduction to forensic psychology: Research and application. SAGE Publications.
Berry, D. K., & Sherry, D. L. (2020). Understanding the Mind of a Serial Killer. Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice, 20(2), 103-115.
Hare, R. D. (1999). Without conscience: The disturbing world of the psychopaths among us. Guilford Press.
Hazelwood, R. R., & Douglas, J. E. (1980). The lust murderer. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 49(4), 1-12.
Ressler, R. K., Burgess, A. W., & Douglas, J. E. (2013). Sexual homicide: Patterns and motives. Routledge.

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Glorification of Serial Killers

November 8, 2019 by Alexis August Leave a Comment

Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer; these have become household names. With the rise of true crime podcasts and popular shows like Making a Murderer and Criminal Minds there has been a rise in the interest for murder shows and pop culture has capitalized on this. After the release of “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile earlier this year, there was this romanticization of serial killers taking root. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is about Ted Bundy’s crimes from the perspective of his girlfriend who refused to believe he was capable of such things for years. The movie stars heartthrob Zac Efron who plays the infamous serial killer, Ted Bundy. By having such an attractive actor play a man who raped and murdered at least 30 women, it emphasizes this narrative that Ted Bundy was an attractive, charming man. This also created this romanticization of serial killers. On Twitter, users were comparing the attractiveness of Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. There are even fan accounts for well-known serial killers. Women become obsessed with and even attracted to serial killers to the point of professing their love in the form of letters or marriage proposals (Ted Bundy received multiple marriage proposals when he was in prison). There are psychological theories as to why people become obsessed and attracted to serial killers. Psychologists believe this fascination and attraction comes from a desire to know why they committed the murders and what led them to that place. However, this glorification and creating a legacy for them long after their deaths is harmful. This makes the surviving victims and the victims’ families have to deal with the attack over and over even though the perpetrator is long dead and has been punished for the crimes. Justice was served for them, but having to relive it is not justice. Not only is talking about these notorious serial killers hurtful for the victims, but it is also exactly what they want. Many serial killers, like mass shooters, crave the

fame and attention, they want to be infamous. Even if they die they know people will still be talking about them. That in and of itself is the major problem with glorifying and obsessing over serial killers. By creating multiple movies and TV shows and books about serial killers, we are saying we are a society that likes portraying serial killers in our pop culture. Even though the movies and TV shows and books detail the gruesome crimes and make it clear that these things are wrong, they are still talking about it–all publicity is good publicity. This is essentially showing potential serial killers and mass shooters that they too can become infamous and get movies and TV shows and books made about them.

Alexis August

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108 Serial Killer Essay Topics & Examples

🔝 top-10 serial killer research paper topics, 🏆 best serial killer topics & essay examples, 🎓 good serial killer research topics, ⭐ argumentative essay topics about serial killers, ❓ research questions about serial killers.

What is the nature of serial killers?
Criminal profiling of John Wayne Gacy.
Popular culture: true crime documentaries.
The mind of H.H. Holmes.
Psychological research of serial killers.
Nature vs. nurture: are serial killers born or made?
Cold cases: The Zodiac Killer.
The story of Ted Bundy.
Serial killers and forensic science.
Psychology and sociology of Jeffrey Dahmer.
Frankston Serial Killer: Background, Crimes, and Motives At the time, the police noted that Denyer was with his girlfriend. The letter claimed that Denyer knows his whereabouts, and that he was planning to break out of prison to kill him.
The Psychology of Serial Killers These are just a fraction of questions that require answers in order to have a complete understanding of the psychology of serial killers.
Richard Angelo: A Serial Killer and His Ethical Dilemma The convicted claimed he made the injections to cause crises to be able to revive patients and become a hero in front of his colleagues.
Jeffrey Dahmer: Serial Killer At the center of the legal debate was the interpretation of insanity, and how it could be utilized to absolve a criminal. George Palermo, a psychiatrist, made the conclusion that Dahmer was not insane.Dr.
Arthur Shawcross and His Serial Killer’s Behavior Although most of his victims were killed in the late 1980s, his case still evokes a lot of debate since he is considered to be one of the most demonstrative examples of prisoners who were […]
Serial Killers: Tommy Lynn Sells It is believed that in October of the same year he killed a 13-year-old girl in Missouri and moved to Texas.
Serial Killers and Their Social Construction Social construction of serial killers has become the subject of various studies, and it is recognized today that the social position, social interactions, and perceived social image may play a significant role in the process […]
Criminal Profiling of Serial Killers Ted Bundy was one of the most famous serial killers of the 20th century. These are the types of serial killers that will target gays, minorities, and prostitutes.
Edmund Kemper: The Serial Killer Kemper committed most of the murders in one year and confessed to his crimes only after he killed his mother. However, in a short time, Kemper decides to stop and report on his crimes to […]
Serial Killer Psychology: Eileen Wuornos Eileen was a woman without remorse as she was not bothered by the death of her victims. It is said that her intention was to capture the attention of the man she was dating.
Ted Bundy, an American Serial Killer He was part of the team that worked in the campaign of the Republican governor of Washington, who later rewarded him with a recommendation letter.
Ted Bundy, a Serial Killer and Psychopath The same was said about Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers in the criminal history of the United States.
J. Dahmer as a Sexually-Motivated Serial Killer The paper at hand is devoted to the investigation of the life, personality, and criminal behavior of one of the most notorious American serial killers of 1980s-1990s, Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer.
Aileen Wuornos: The Serial Killer After four years since the birth of Aileen, her mother abandoned the family, leaving the girl and her brother with their maternal grandparents, whom the girl considered her birth parents.
American Serial Killer Joseph Paul Franklin’s Crimes The reason for changing his name as because he wanted to join the Rhodesian Army and due to his criminal background, he was forced to change the name. The couple were killed and Franklin confessed […]
Aileen Wuornos: Anatomy of a Female Serial Killer Moreover, feminist scholarship has recently begun to examine serial murder as “sexual terrorism” or as a perpetuation of gynocide, the systematic crippling, raping and/or killing of women by men.
Serial Killers: Law Enforcement Response to Serial Killing The law enforcement agencies such as the FBI maintain that there are several serial killers in the United States and they are expected to increase and hit an epidemic proportion with many people losing their […]
Charles Manson: Serial Killer Profile One of the first crimes that he committed was connected to a stolen car that Manson took to have some fun and visit his relatives.
Albert Fish – the Serial Killer Fish’s mother, forced to look for another source of livelihood due to her inability to take care of her son following the death of his father, took him to Saint John’s orphanage in Washington.
The Crimes of Charles Manson, Serial Killer Even though his people did it himself, he was not involved in this, and the organization of a particular group of people is not in itself an immoral act but is prohibited in some places.
Serial Killer Profiling Dimensions In order to better understand their practices and attempt to put a stop to their actions prematurely, there was a need for proper classification and consequent analysis.
Serial Killers in Modern American Society Based on the above-stated arguments, this paper forms research for evidence from some of the serial killers in modern American society and various tactics utilized by the investigative departments to determine and differentiate between serial […]
Principles of Justice: Serial Killers and Rapers On the same note, Ernest van de Haag mentions the use of principals relating to the utilitarian perspective where the law would be lenient and work for the greater good of people as a whole […]
Serial Killer Imagery: “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates The present paper argues that whereas Arnold Friend is portrayed by Oates as a “superhuman” copy of Carl Schmid, the murderer, and the situation with Connie is partially sketched from the case of Alleen Rowe, […]
Serial Killers, Their Crimes, and Stereotypes The other serial killers presented in the killers list also conform to the stereotypes presented in Fox’s and Levin’s article. Most of the killers also rape, mutilate, and degrade their victims in order to feel […]
A Study on Serial Killers: “Encounter and death: The Spatial Behavior of U.S. Serial Killers” From an analysis, of the article, it is evident that the research focuses on the geographical locations that surround the killings; the location of the first meeting between the serial killers and their victims, the […]
Serial Killers: Women and Men Comparison Most of the time, crimes of men serial killers are heard regularly as they are more horrible than that of women serial killers. The physical counting of the men serial killers victims is very high […]
Serial Killer “Theodore Robert “Ted” Bundy” As much as the psychiatrists related his problems to mental disturbances, this was not a major issue that determined the outcome of the cases.
A Serial Killer: Typology and Abnormal Psychological Gratification
Luis Garavito: The World’s Worst Serial Killer
Existentialism: Serial Killer and Right Things
Charles Cullen: Healthcare Serial Killer
Israel Keyes: The Reluctant Serial Killer
Countess Elizabeth Bathory: Serial Killer
Arousal Theory and the Serial Killer Jeffery Dahmer
The Dangerous Mind of a Serial Killer
Clifford Olson: Canadian Serial Killer
The Development of Serial Killers: A Grounded
Exploring the Life and Possible Motives of Serial Killer
How Edward Theodore Gain Became a Serial Killer
Blood Loss, the Decline of the Serial Killer
Sociological Theories: Rationalization and Motivation of the Serial Killer
Serial Killer Era: So Many Murders in 1970 – 2000
Famous Serial Killer: Jack the Ripper
Defining the Factors That Contribute to Serial Killer’s Identity
Deadly Motives: The Hedonistic Drive of Serial Murder
Details of a Typical Female Serial Killer
Profiling Art and Australian Serial Killer Ivan Milat
Brilliant Serial Killer Jack the Ripper
America’s First Serial Killer
Serial Killer and Racism: African-Americans and Serial Killing in the Media
Life and Death of a Serial Killer: Are Serial Killer Born or Created?
Serial Killer: Erikson’s Theory-Based Analysis of the Behavior of Robert William Pickton
Differential Association Theory and Serial Killer
Aileen Wuornos America’s First Female Serial Killer
Mary Bell Was Britain’s Youngest Serial Killer
Criminal Shadows: Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer
America’s Sweetest Serial Killer – Sugar
Unique Characteristics of a Serial Killer
American Serial Killer: Albert Fish
Serial Killer: The Mechanism From Imagination to the Murder
Critical Theories: Crime Ted Bundy Serial Killer
The Uncatchable Serial Killer: No Motive, No Victim Profile
Serial Killers: Death and Life in America’s Wound Culture
The Life of a Serial Killer: Edmund Emil Kemper Lii
Criminal Justice: The Criminology Behind Serial Killers
Canadian Serial Killer: Robert Pickton
What Are Serial Killers?
Are Serial Killers Born Psychopaths or Pushed to That Limit?
What Causes Serial Killers to Kill?
How Do Serial Killers Get Attention?
What Makes Serial Killers Kill?
Why Are the People Interested in Serial Killers?
What Is the Nature of Serial Killers?
How Do Juveniles Become Serial Killers?
What Is in the Mind of Serial Killer?
How to Cure a Serial Killer?
What Steps Are Taken by the Country to Control Serial Killers?
Where Did the Term “Serial Killer” Come From?
What Are the Main Objectives of a Serial Killer?
Is It Possible to Diagnose a Would-Be Serial Killer?
What Are the Common Types of Serial Killers?
How Does a Serial Killer Differ From a Maniac?
What Lies Behind a Serial Killer’s Signature?
Are There Naturally Born Serial Killers?
What Makes a Serial Killer Tick?
Are There Death Penalty Alternatives for Serial Killers?
What Makes a Serial Killer Do What They Do?
Are Humans Naturally Good or Evil?
What Is the Difference Between a Mass Murderer and a Serial Killer in Modern Culture?
Is There a Tendency to Increase or Decrease in Serial Killings in the Us in the XXI Century?
Can Modern Therapies Available for Sociopathic and Psychopathic Disorder Set Serial Killers to Rights?
What Are the Effects of Childhood Abuse on Serial Killing Behavior?
How Are the Serial Killers Portrayed in Hollywood Compare to Real-Life Serial Killers?
What Are Some of the Trademarks of Female Serial Killers?
Do Serial Killer Partners Always Have a Dominant Personality and a Submissive Personality?
How Has Modern Technology and Criminology Made It More Difficult for Serial Killers to Remain at Large?
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Serial Killer - Essay Examples And Topic Ideas For Free

An essay on serial killers can delve into the psychology, motivations, and criminal profiles of individuals who commit multiple homicides. It can discuss the investigative techniques used to identify and apprehend serial killers, as well as the societal fascination and media portrayals of these notorious criminals, examining the dark side of human behavior. A substantial compilation of free essay instances related to Serial Killer you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

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Despite extensive DNA tests, identity of 1 of Winnipeg serial killer's victims remains a mystery, trial hears

Jacket believed to be worn by mashkode bizhiki'ikwe sent for dna tests, witness testifies at skibicki trial.

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WARNING: This story contains distressing details.

As recently as a few months ago, Winnipeg police were still sending samples for DNA testing to try to identify the lone unknown victim among the four women Jeremy Skibicki has confessed to killing — but even with 120 exhibits analyzed in the case, investigators still don't know who she is, Skibicki's trial heard Tuesday.

The items scraped for DNA included cigarette butts, hair and nail clippings found inside Skibicki's apartment, and samples taken from several places on a black-and-white Baby Phat-brand jacket that was the only piece of evidence linked to the unknown woman that police were ever able to identify, court heard.

Several spots of the jacket were tested based on which were most likely to have DNA, said Florence Célestin, a forensic DNA specialist who worked with the samples found in the case and testified remotely from Ottawa on Tuesday.

"Most of the time, the person wearing the garment will leave DNA behind where there is friction — so at the cuff area or the collar area, that's typically where we might find DNA profile," she said.

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Court heard the jacket's zipper pull and button were also tested, but only one sample taken from one of the jacket's cuffs provided enough information to form the female DNA profile that prosecutors believe belongs to the unidentified victim.

The sample never matched any others found during the investigation, or any located in the police crime scene or convicted offender data banks, Célestin said.

Jacket was sold online

While the samples taken to try to identify the woman were just a portion of the 120 collected in the case, the more recent samples sent were all related to the search for her identity, court heard — including a DNA analysis report completed in February 2024.

When Skibicki was arrested and brought in for questioning in May 2022 — after the partial remains of Rebecca Contois were discovered in garbage bins near his North Kildonan apartment — he unexpectedly confessed to killing her, along with three other women.

A computer desk in a messy room with yellow evidence markers in several places.

That includes the unidentified woman, who has since been given the name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, or Buffalo Woman, by community members.

Skibicki has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in that woman's death, and the deaths of Contois, 24, Morgan Harris, 39, and Marcedes Myran, 26. All four women were killed in Winnipeg between mid-March and mid-May of 2022, police have previously said.

Prosecutors have said the women's deaths were "intentional, purposeful and racially motivated," and alleged the accused preyed on vulnerable Indigenous women at Winnipeg homeless shelters before killing the four victims.

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Contois was a member of O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation, also known as Crane River, located on the western shore of Lake Manitoba. Harris and Myran were both members of Long Plain First Nation in south central Manitoba. Police have said they believe Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe was also Indigenous and in her 20s.

Skibicki's lawyers say while he admits to the killings, he should be found not criminally responsible because of a mental disorder.

During his confession, Skibicki also told police he took the Baby Phat jacket from the unidentified woman after he killed her, then sold it on Facebook Marketplace. The jacket was later recovered before being sent for DNA testing.

Court heard previously through an agreed statement of facts that the DNA of the three identified victims was found on various items in and outside Skibicki's apartment, including on a bloodstained pillow, a cigarette butt, a combat knife and a bra.

Investigators also found about a dozen DNA samples during their search of Skibicki's apartment and nearby garbage bins that belonged to women other than the four Skibicki admitted to killing. Prosecutors say there is no indication there are additional victims.

Psychiatric assessment ordered

Court of King's Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal on Tuesday also granted a request from Crown attorney Christian Vanderhooft that Skibicki be ordered to undergo an assessment by a forensic psychiatrist to determine whether he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the killings — as the defence plans to argue.

The order was granted despite opposition from Skibicki's lawyer Leonard Tailleur, who said the defence has already obtained an opinion on his client's mental state.

Tailleur added he is required to advocate for Skibicki's best interests.

"I accept that," the judge told him, before granting the Crown's request. "But is that the best argument you have?"

"That's my best argument," Tailleur replied, laughing.

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Court heard the assessment is scheduled to happen on Sunday and Monday, and that Tailleur has advised Skibicki to co-operate fully.

The judge-alone trial continues Wednesday, when court is expected to hear from four civilian witnesses. The trial is expected to continue until June 6.

Support is available for anyone affected by these reports and the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Immediate emotional assistance and crisis support are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a national hotline at 1-844-413-6649.

You can also access, through the government of Canada, health support services such as mental health counselling, community-based support and cultural services, and some travel costs to see elders and traditional healers. Family members seeking information about a missing or murdered loved one can access Family Information Liaison Units .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Caitlyn Gowriluk has been writing for CBC Manitoba since 2019. Her work has also appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press, and in 2021 she was part of an award-winning team recognized by the Radio Television Digital News Association for its breaking news coverage of COVID-19 vaccines. Get in touch with her at [email protected].