THE ROLE OF CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AS A CAUSE OF SERIAL KILLING

    In the past decade, Americans and researchers have been given more and more of their attention to serial killers.  The United States alone has contributed some 85% of the world's serial killers.  It has been said that they come in many different forms.  Society has many words for serial killers.  Holmes and DeBurger (1998:138) define serial murders as "consisting of repetitive killings which are one-on-one with rare exception, where the relationship between victims and the offender is that of a stranger or slight acquaintance, and the motivation to kill and apparent motives are lacking."

    Some researchers say that this type of criminal behavior goes as far back to a serial killer's past.  Others argue that serial killers sometimes do not have a motive for killing people.  Many of them have been faced with sexual abuse, physical abuse, drug abuse, or alcoholism.  Some parents see the red flags but often ignore these signs.  Some of these signs include torturing animals, setting fires, and often wetting the bed.  The research conducted in this paper explore biopsychological attempts to prove that serial killer behavior stems from childhood trauma.

LITERATURE REVIEW

    Most serial killers commit crimes because of their severe childhood neglect or child abuse patterns developed from birth through adolescence. Most of these killers had bad relationships with their parents, so it is hard for them to relate to another human being. According to Ressler and Shachtman (200:p98-105), abused and neglected children are at higher risk for growing up and becoming violent murderers. Most people, ask "Are these people natural born killers?" On the other hand, some of these serial killers come from a normal home. Serial killer Carl Panzram himself wrote: "All of my family are as average human beings are. They are honest and hard working people. All except me. I have been a human-animal ever since I was born. When I was very young 5 or 6 years of age, I was a thief, a liar, and a mean despisable one at that. The older I got the meaner I got".

    Trauma, which could cause damage to the unborn fetus, could begin in the womb at the moment of conception. Recent studies suggest that habitual use of cocaine may also damage the genetic code of sperm. Alcoholism and drug abuses are other hazards to fetal development. Children who are born with these developments are likely to have damaged brains or nervous systems; this limits the child when he becomes an adult so that he cannot control violent, impulsive behavior. Studies also show that an unwanted or unhappy pregnancy, even without physical damage, may also damage the future of the unborn child. Biological psychological theories in humans are often strengthened by similar findings in animal research. Behavior models of serial killers can be compared to the kindling phenomenon in animal research. It was found that intermittent electrical stimulation of the brain has the effect of altering brain excitability to the point where repeated stimulation produces seizures. In human beings, this model has been applied to explain the escalation of mood disorders over time, particularly manic-depressive disorder (www).

    Another disorder that is considered to be an effect of severe trauma in early childhood is called Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). DID is commonly described as a 'highly creative survival technique' that a child uses to escape from extreme, repeated physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. DID is classified as one of four main kinds of Dissociative Disorders (DSM-IV), as it is a mental disorder in which normal consciousness or identity is spilt or altered after an intense psychological trauma (5). "During dissociation, one is not able to associate certain information as one normally could, thus allowing a temporary mental escape from the fear and pain of experience. This process can, at times, result in a memory gap concerning the trauma which may affect the person's sense of personal history and identity, and may even result in fragmenting one's self" (Shah). Researchers have noted that mental imprints of traumatic experiences remain consistent within the brains of the experiencer over long periods of time, much unlike normal memories, which disintegrate over time. These trauma memories often contain a large amount of emotional and perceptual elements rather then declarative ones. Pierre Janet, a researcher in the nineteenth century, wrote, "It is precisely because there is no immediate accommodation that there is complete dissociation of the inner activity from the external world. As the external world is solely represented by images, it is assimilated without resistance to the unconscious ego". The present information indicates that memories connected to traumas are different from normal memories, and may affect memory functions because of the great emotional stress. Joel Norris explains in his book Serial Killers, that the cycle of violence as generational: "Parents who abuse their children, physically as well as psychologically, instill in them an almost instinctive reliance upon violence as the first resort to any challenge". Childhood abuse not only spawns violent reactions, Norris writes, but also affects the child's health, including brain injuries, malnutrition, and other developmental disorders.

    Fathers who sexually abuse their children are usually unaware of the fact that they had themselves suffered the same type of abuse. For example, Ricky Lee Green was abused by his father and grandfather for many years. When he was six his father would force him to run from the porch where his father sat with a BB gun hitting him with the small metal BB's. His father also sexually abused him. Ricky's grandfather also sodomized him as he was growing up. From the time Ricky was born, all he could remember was his father telling him he was no good and never would be. Later, on Ricky became a sexual predator himself. Before Ricky would kill his victims he would sexually sodomize them while they were fighting for their lives. Obviously, this abuse is a critical phase in the creation of the serial killer. The sexual abuse results in intense physiological arousal, and the abused child quickly associates the two (Ressler, 1998). An initial sexual arousal leads to the conversion of the abuse into a cue for sexual arousal, and over time, the violence itself becomes the central cue for sexual arousal (Hardy,1964).

    Even the play of the child is oriented around aggression and violence, as are his daydreams (Ressler, 1998). This inclination toward violence only increases over the years. Perhaps as a result of this violent orientation the child becomes very egocentric, seeing the adults and other children as merely extensions of his own personal world (Resslar, 1998).

    The abuse which the child is suffering lends strength to their fantasies, making them ever more aggressive and lending a dominance and control-focus to them (Ressler, 1998). The future killer is essentially using fantasy to escape a poor family life into a world where the child is in control and can act out the abuse against others rather than be a target of the abuse (FBI, 1995). Druktenis (1992) has suggested that these "sexually sadistic fantasies" (p.535) help to control the child's fear and act as an outlet for hostility and aggression that are actually directed against significant others, such as abusive parents.

    For the serial killer himself, childhood is also marked by personal problems. The serial killer never truly bonds to his family (Ressler, 1988; FBI, 1995), much like some alcoholics. In addition, this inability to bond extends to peers, resulting in very few friendships. Even as young children, the future serial killers are known as loners. According to Ressler, they are usually not successful in forming interpersonal relationships. Few serial killers have a positive attitude toward their fathers. Like John Wayne Gacy who suffered some turmoil with his father, although relations with his mother and sisters were very strong. Like most of the fathers, John's father was an abusive alcoholic who physically abused his wife and verbally abused his children. His dad also called him a sissy, queer, and a failure. To punish Gacy, his father killed his beloved dog. Although these things happened John Gacy still had love for his father and wanted desperately to gain his father's attention. Unfortunately, he could never be bonded with his father before he passed; this was something that John regretted his entire life. When Gacy was eleven years old, he was playing by a swing set when he was hit in the head by one of the swings. The accident caused a blood clot in the brain. But until Gacy was, sixteen the blood clot was undetected. From the age of eleven to sixteen, he suffered blackouts because of the clot. The blackout was caused by the medication that he was given to dissolve the blockage in the brain. When Gacy later became a serial killer, he would strangle his young victims, and while he was doing this he would tell them to stay brave while facing death. Joel Norris wrote that Gacy sought to reassert his own vision of a masculine identity that had been squashed down by his father.

    In Alice Miller's article "A Childhood Trauma", she explains, that the cruelty suffered during childhood remains in the brain as unconscious memories. For a child, conscious experience of such treatment is impossible. If children are not to be destroyed by the pain and the fear, they must forget the experiences. But the repressed memories of the child who has been neglected and maltreated, drive the adult to reproduce those traumatic scenes over and over again as he tries to escape from fears that cruelty has left with him.

    Even one experience can produce a serial killer if that one was traumatic enough. For instance, Jeffery Dahmar was never abused by his parents, but was molested by a neighborhood boy. However, Dahmer fits the typical sihousette: a white male, smart or even quite intelligent; a kid from a broken home; often a childhood victim of sexual abuse. When he was four, his father found under there home the remains of some small animals that had been killed by. When his father gathered the animal bones, Jeffrey seemed thrilled by the sounds they made. As a child Dahmer, he was a loner, a poor student. Jeffrey was diagnosed with a double hernia that needed to be operated on. This operation let him feeling opened and exposed. He felt scared by the operation with complete strangers coming up to him and exploring his body. This experience marked his subconscious forever.

RESEARCH METHODS

The serial killer statistics -

One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill and torture an animal and get away with it. (Margaret Mead)

    Human beings' treatment of animals has been acknowledged for centuries to reflect an individual's attitude to fellow human beings. We are not born with a cruel gene, it develops as a consequence of environment and society. In 1905 Freud suggested that clinicians pay special attention to children who are cruel to animals.

    Today there is growing evidence that childhood violence toward animals is often a sign something is terribly wrong, and acts as a warning of future violence against humans. With guidance from adults children can be taught to empathise with the sentience of other creatures. Without intervention and/or positive mentoring they may become locked into a lifetime of perpetuating cruelty. Violence - whether the victim has two or four legs, wings, or fins - is violence.

    In the last decade social scientists and law enforcement agencies have begun to study in detail the roots of violence connecting child maltreatment, spouse and partner abuse and aggression in our neighbourhoods. Law enforcement officials, prosecutors, victim service providers, physicians, mental health providers, and child/adult protective service officials are teaming with animal control officers and veterinarians to protect the most vulnerable in our community.

    Researchers, the FBI and other agencies in the USA, have linked animal cruelty to domestic violence, child abuse, serial killings and the recent rash of killings by school-age children. Among the most notorious of those have been Albert DeSalvo (The Boston Strangler), Theodore Bundy, David Berkowitz (Son of Sam), Jeffrey Dahmer, Marc Lepine, Carroll Edward Coleis and Martin Bryant - all with a history of animal torture and killing in their childhood. Five of six students in the USA who went on shooting rampages in 1999 had histories of animal cruelty in their childhoods.

    Kip Kinkel, 15, allegedly walked into his high school cafeteria and opened fire on his classmates. Two were killed and 22 others injured, four critically. Later that day police found his parents shot to death in their home. It was reported by family and friends Kinkel had a history of animal abuse. He often bragged about torturing and killing animals.

    Mitchell Johnson, 13 and Andrew Golden, 11, allegedly shot and killed four students and a teacher at their school. A friend of Andrew's said he shot dogs "all the time with a .22". Luke Woodham, 16, stabbed his mother to death then went to his high school where he shot and killed two classmates and injured seven others. Prior to the killings Woodham stated in his personal journal that he and an accomplice beat, burned and tortured his dog Sparkle to death. There is a gruesome litany of case histories of killers, rapists, batterers and child abusers who "practiced" on animals when they were children.

    Most professionals agree that animal abuse is not just the result of a personality flaw in the abuser,
but a symptom of a deeply disturbed family. Perpetrators of violent acts against animals are
predominantly adolescent males who come from all ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Many are
reflecting the violence they experience at home. Compelling studies show children who abuse animals
have been victims of child abuse themselves. Children who witness their parents reacting to anger or
frustration with violence often participate in pecking-order battering with the next vulnerable member
of the family, usually the companion animal. There is an alarming trend of young people committing
shocking acts of violence and killing in our society. Many of those who commit violent acts have a
history of abusing animals. Lynda Stoner, Australian actor and animal activist, examines this.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

    Serial Killers don't just wake up one day and decide that they want to become serial killers. Their behavior stems from a history of bad experiences that have remained with them from childhood to adulthood. Some serial killers were abused, some neglected, and some have had brain abnormalities. Whatever the case, the hurt that they experienced at a young age has been built up. As a result they lash out at animals and other human beings with death usually being the end result. Researchers have been studying serial killers for years to figure out what makes them tick. Most agree however that cruelty toward animals at a young age is a clear sign of future violent behavior. The child has no sense of conscious or empathy for the animal and enjoys seeing the animal hurt. The same sense of power and stimulation is also felt later when serial killers kill human beings.

    This research in this paper reveals the biopsychological factors that lead to serial killer behavior. A person who has trouble forming interpersonal relationships with others is one sign to look out for. Other signs would be child abuse, child neglect, brain damage, and animal cruelty. Researchers have not found yet found a way to change the behavior of serial killers. Right now the best they can do is educate people about how serial killers develop their cycle of abuse and make people aware of signs to look for in a troubled person before it is too late.

REFERENCES

Comments:  The second paragraph is pretty good.  I would like, however, to see that this paper becomes a criminology paper, not a paper for a profiling or serial crimes class.  Therefore, it's important you latch onto a criminological perspective early on.  It sounds like you're writing from a biopsychological perspective theory.

04/17/02 I added your third section. It looks promising, but incomplete, yet enough to move on.
On 05/05/02, I added your summary and conclusions. You need references to raise the Pt 4 grade.