Introduction
The term serial killer refers to an individual who commits three or more premeditated murders. The term was coined by FBI profiler Robert Ressler while investigating the dastardly exploits of Theodore Robert Bundy. The American nation has been the host to 75% of all known serial killers. We have dealt with some of the most deviously brilliant minds over the years (Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Serial Murder”). The FBI started to research the minds of these monsters in the hope of uncovering how a normal person suddenly leaves a successful legitimate life to that of a persona of evil. This paper discusses the minds and behavior of serial killers.
What is the psychological profile of a serial killer? …show more content…
There are only a few reasons why a serial killer would stop the killing cycle. They are death, suicide or capture. There is no scope for rehabilitation from serial killing. Psychopaths exhibit a unilateral disregard for the violation of others or the violence that is directed towards their victims. According to FBI profilers, this condition in psychopaths deteriorate from their mid-teen years. There are very few examples in the past to indicate that serial killers would have the capacity to change their persona from predators to respectable citizens (Word press, “What Motivates Serial Killers to Kill?”). In fact in all these years, there was only one instance where a serial killer chose to confess and stop the killing spree; it was Ed Kemper, the Co-ed Butcher. He called the police from a pay phone and waited for police to arrest him. The majority of serial killers find ways to beat the law or simply disappear from the scene for months together before striking again. The longest dormant time was recorded by Dennis Rader aka BTK. According to the FBI, this dormant period is known as the cooling off period (Ramsland, “Inside the Minds of Serial Killers: Why They …show more content…
The opportunity to feel the power exhibited by law enforcement over society is an intoxicating proposition for psychopaths in particular. They even take up law courses or take up jobs as private security or night watchmen. Serial killers also have been known to tune into police frequencies and reach crime scenes to take pictures. Ed Kemper, in his interviews with FBI profilers had disclosed that he would frequent police hangouts regularly to strike up conversations and discuss updates about the progress of the case. Serial killers have also been known to own police type