SERIAL CRIME: BIOLOGICAL PREDISPOSITION OR PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDER?
Serial murder is not a new crime in this
country. It has been an issue since the early 1880s when Herman Mudgett,
alias Henry Holmes, killed 27 women in his murder castle in Chicago, Illinois. It is quite easy, however, to get the definition of serial
murder confused with mass murder or spree murder. A mass murder occurs
when one assassin kills a number of people during a short time period in the
same geographical area. A spree murder occurs when one assassin kills
multiple people over a longer time, hours or perhaps days. In contrast,
the number of separate episodes is what differentiates serial murder, the
killing of multiple victims on separate occasions usually in different
geographical locations. The FBI defines serial killing as involving three or more
victims (Orey 1997). The most important question that can be asked of
serial murder is what motivates individuals who commit such crimes.
There are many analyses, theories, studies, and personal
opinions which describe or explain why serial killers act the way they do.
Ultimately, no one explanation is sufficient to pinpoint motive, which may vary
by individual. Any such analysis should be grounded on the individual
basis, looking at background, culture, social environment, economic status,
medical condition, and more to give a well rounded and empirical reason for such
behavior.
Researchers who study cases of serial murder tend to devise
their own specific frames of reference (Egger 1998). There are four such
frames of reference that classify behavior and motive: sociological;
psychological; cultural; and biological. These are the frameworks for
studying all types of criminal behavior. A sociologist usually studies
large groups to determine their commonalities and characteristics. A
psychologist or psychiatrist looks at cases individually to produce clinical
case studies that contain data fitted into a research report or journal.
Cultural explanations look at issues of historical development, media influence,
trends, and so forth. Biological perspectives deal with genetics,
neurology, and biochemistry. All these areas of study help
to understand the reasons for crime generally. Criminality is usually
influenced by numerous factors, whether it be chemical imbalances in the brain
or simply an abusive childhood.
Some researchers frequently characterize serial killers as
psychopaths, which is word implying motiveless behavior.
Psychopaths tend
to have a personality disorder involving affective, behavioral, and
interpersonal deficiencies (Egger 1998). Such persons often act as if
they had no conscience. They resist social conventions and frequently come
into contact with the criminal justice system. Other researchers frequently
characterize serial killers as manifesting a chemical imbalance in the brain
(Linder 1999). This paper explores how practical it is to sort or combine the
psychological and biological frames of reference.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Combining the two perspectives of the biological
and psychological approach may hinder or help the perspective of psychobiology to serial
behavior. Researchers in this area have proven that serial murderers have
organic disorders of their central nervous system (Linder 1999). Such disorders can result
from biochemical imbalances, genetic disorders, and injuries to the brain. Disorders in the
hypothalamus, the temporal lobe, and other limbic structures of the brain have also been
linked to key factors underlying the psychopathology that is present in serial killers.
Damage to the hypothalamus , the emotional regulator of the brain, can short-circuit the
brain’s ability to measure emotional and physical responses to real or perceived threats.
The psychobiological perspective is important because it translates biological
processes into psychological effects that are experienced by the serial murderer (Linder
1999). Jonathon Pincus, a noted
neurologist, believes that a combination of factors, which include brain damage
and psychiatric impairment produce illogical thinking and paranoia in a serial
killer. Pincus also believes that there is always a presence of sexual or
physical abuse. He goes on to say that brain damage alone will not cause
violence in a person, but when the presence pf brain damage, psychiatric
impairment, and abuse interact, the production of a violent person is very
likely (Egger 1998).
Most serial killers tend to have abusive or neglected childhoods (Source date), but one characteristic that sets them apart from the norm is that they are exceptionally skillful in their presentation of self so that they are beyond suspicion and thus difficult to apprehend (Source date). However, many are unskilled or less cautious so that they are easily apprehended. They leave physical evidence behind or select familiar victims. In 1985, the FBI established the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP) to increase the effectiveness of apprehending serial killers.
Though serial killers have been noted to be white
heterosexual males in
their twenties and thirties, studies
and researchers have been reluctant to show the prevailing issue of female killers
(Medoza 2001). One such study showed that females were accountable for almost 15 % of known serial killers operating in the United States from
1800 to 1995 (Hepburn 1998). The startling part about female killers is that should be
feared more than their male counterpart. The female killer has shown herself
to be more rare, but along with that, more
deadly and determined and also more difficult to apprehend than male killers
(Kelleher 1998). The females prime motivation has typically been for financial gain (Egger 1998).
One
thing that can be noted is the gender specific way of killing. Males are more likely to use force by shooting,
strangling, suffocating, or stabbing their victim. Females are more likely to use poison (Hepburn 1998). Male serialists are also more likely to prey on strangers, although according
to one study, almost one third of a male serialist’s victims are persons known to
him. A female is likely to kill persons known to her. Thus concluding, it is ultimately the case that a serial killer preys on
strangers, there are notable findings that serial killers also prey on persons known to them
(Hepburn 1998). It is a known precipitating factor that victims are self –selecting
due to their existence at a place and point
in time. Serial killers also tend to choose victims that are vulnerable and easy to dominate (Egger
1998).
RESEARCH METHODS
Trends in the patterns of homicides involving multiple offenders and multiple victims are available from the Bureau of Justice Statistics in a document entitled Homicide Trends in the United States.
Less than 4% of all homicide incidents are known to have both multiple victims and multiple offenders. Percentages by number of victims are expressed in the following table:
The pattern known as serial killing, involving 3 or more victims, is extremely rare. Age of offender is most closely related to the pattern of homicides involving multiple offenders, as the following chart illustrates:
The mix of circumstances surrounding homicides has changed over the last two decades. For example, circumstances which were unknown have almost doubled.
Argument involves circumstances such as brawls in which the influence of alcohol or drugs is present as well as disagreements about money or property. Felony types include homicides committed during a rape, robbery, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, and other vice or sex offenses. Gang homicides include gangland killings and juvenile gang killings.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
(missing section)
REFERENCES
Egger, Steven. The Killers Among Us. New Jersey, Prentice Hall. 1998.
Hepburn, Crystal., Ronald Hinch. 1998. Researching
Serial Murder: Methodological
Kelleher, Michael and C.L., Murder Most Rare, The Female Serial Killer. Westport, Conn., Praeger Trade, 1998
Lane, Wilfred Gregg. The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. New York, Berkley Books, 1995.
Lindner, James. 1999 Chaos Shadow Theory. http://www.goertzer.org/dynapsyc/1999/shadow.nun (11 October 2001)
Medoza, A. Internet Crime Archives. http://mayhem.net/crime/serial.html (11 October 2001).
Orey, Heather. 1997. Ask the Expert-Serial Killers-Why?
Schmalleger, Frank. Criminology Today. New Jersey,
Prentice Hall, 1999.
Last updated: 11/21/01