Serial Killers -- Essay Example

SERIAL KILLERS A serial killer is a person whom everybody knows as a friend, a lover or even a father but no one knows about his killer instinct until it’s to late. Serial killers have plagued this country and others for many years. They are hard to find and virtually undetectable until they start murdering the innocent. Serial killers are usually young, white males who are quite intelligent and often come from broken homes. They may have been abused either physically or sexually during childhood and they have serious personality defects, such as low self-esteem and a lifelong sense of loneliness. Although no two serial killers are alike, they all fit this description somewhat. In the sixth edition of Crime and Criminality by Sue Titus Reid, a serial killer is defined as a person who commits more than one murder but at different times (Reid, p. 134). Serial killers have been around for decades but According To Jack Levin, “seven of the ten largest mass killings in American history have taken place in the last decade (Douglas, p. 137). One of the most popular and well-known serial killers in history was Ted Bundy. He was convicted of killing three women but is suspected of killing thirty-six other women (Douglas, p. 137). So what makes a serial killer? Levin points out that contrary to popular belief, serial killers don’t just “snap” or “go crazy” (Douglas, p. 137). Many of the serial killers have been the victims of childhood abuse. Jack Levin stated “Research shows many serial killers suffered abuse, incest or neglect as children and develop poor self images” (Douglas, p. 137). Serial killers often have a childhood marked by the absence of any nurturing relationship. “They often come from families where the parents were absent or ineffective, where authority was not defined, and where they could engage in destructive behavior undeterred-violent play, cruelty to animals, and