Does "rehabilitation" solve all problems?
Rehabilitation could be a possibility for reform and lead toward a positive future, but not everyone is necessarily "cured." Richard Chase, the "Vampire Killer of Sacramento," was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and sent to rehab, but after he was released, he went on to kill many people, still believing that Nazis were trying to make his blood turn into powder, and that the only way he could remain alive was to drink the blood of others.
If rehabilitation is not properly carried out, it may not have a lasting effect. Some serial killers can go through rehabilitation and pretend to be fine, but really are still as twisted when they got there.
If there was a rehabilitation system that was 100% guaranteed to work, then it could solve problems. Yet, some people are so stuck in their own ideals and thoughts that they refuse to accept anything that deviates. Rehabilitation can help some, but it will not be able to help all.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Are They Just Monsters?
Is the true reason that they kill simply because they are monsters, devoid of any moral inclinations?
Could it truly be that some people are just bad eggs? Are they perfectly aware of the types of heinous acts that they are committing to humans, the same creatures as them? I am sure that there are some that are completely aware of their cruelty, and have absolutely no remorse for what they've done. Are these people the monsters of the world, even worse than in the stories we were taught as children? Not all serial killers could be identified as monsters, and some have shown remorse for their actions. Yet, there are still the cruel, cruel demons that show no mercy, and do not care to repent.
Ted Bundy once said, "Most serial killers are people who kill for the pure pleasure of killing and cannot be rehabilitated. Some of the serial killers themselves would even say so."
Could it truly be that some people are just bad eggs? Are they perfectly aware of the types of heinous acts that they are committing to humans, the same creatures as them? I am sure that there are some that are completely aware of their cruelty, and have absolutely no remorse for what they've done. Are these people the monsters of the world, even worse than in the stories we were taught as children? Not all serial killers could be identified as monsters, and some have shown remorse for their actions. Yet, there are still the cruel, cruel demons that show no mercy, and do not care to repent.
Ted Bundy once said, "Most serial killers are people who kill for the pure pleasure of killing and cannot be rehabilitated. Some of the serial killers themselves would even say so."
Is It a Family Trade?
Could serial killing just be in family blood?
If a parent was a serial killer, it would make sense that their child would be exposed to elements of the nature, and might pick up on their habits that could eventually lead them towards a future in killing. However, a Minnesota twin study shows that psychopathy is 60% heritable, so psychotic traits are due more to DNA than their upbringing.
A correlation has been discovered between criminal psychopathy and brain abnormality, which can also be passed down through a family.
If a child had a parent that was a serial killer, it would most likely be a disturbing life. They might have to suffer from the torturous fantasies of their parent(s) and could even be forced into involvement in crimes, or be killed. It would more than likely be a very hard life to live. While children are young, many wish to follow in their parents' footsteps. These children just might be dangerous if they wish to follow theirs.
Brain Injuries
What if there was a brain injury, tumor, or defect that changed them?
If someone has a brain injury, then they have a brain injury. They might have been able to do something to prevent the circumstances or actions that led up to their injury, but once they obtain their injury, that's usually just it. People with brain injuries can't always recover, so is it really their fault if they end up being a changed person after the organ that tells them everything has been severely damaged? They can't help the fact that they suffer from brain damage, so does it make it their fault that they were set off and suddenly provoked to kill? Even if someone thought that they might be taking a turn for the worse, who would truly want to go to someone and request help because they think they might be turning into a serial killer? How many people would really consider the possibility that they might go out and kill someone?
Brain tumors have been known to distort the personalities of people who suffer from them, so who's to say that this is what might have happened to a serial killer? Some people with brain tumors have been known to suffer from violent fits and sudden aggressive personality changes. Could brain tumors play a role in why some turn to killing? One case that could have been the result of a brain tumor is that of Charles Whitman. He was not a serial killer, but a mass murderer. After he killed sixteen people and wounded thirty from shooting at them from an observation deck, he was shot in the head by the police as they arrived on the scene. He did not know why he felt fits of rage and violent headaches, but perhaps that is what motivated him to go on his rampage. Before he died, he wrote a letter to the authorities, asking for him to carry out an autopsy on his brain. After the carried out an autopsy, they discovered a small tumor just above his brain stem. Could the tumor be the reason for his fits of rage and terrifying behavior? If that tumor hadn't been there, would it have changed anything? Would he not have killed? Since we obviously cannot go back into the past and recreate something like that, we can only speculate about the true causes and what might have happened.
If someone has a brain injury, then they have a brain injury. They might have been able to do something to prevent the circumstances or actions that led up to their injury, but once they obtain their injury, that's usually just it. People with brain injuries can't always recover, so is it really their fault if they end up being a changed person after the organ that tells them everything has been severely damaged? They can't help the fact that they suffer from brain damage, so does it make it their fault that they were set off and suddenly provoked to kill? Even if someone thought that they might be taking a turn for the worse, who would truly want to go to someone and request help because they think they might be turning into a serial killer? How many people would really consider the possibility that they might go out and kill someone?
Brain tumors have been known to distort the personalities of people who suffer from them, so who's to say that this is what might have happened to a serial killer? Some people with brain tumors have been known to suffer from violent fits and sudden aggressive personality changes. Could brain tumors play a role in why some turn to killing? One case that could have been the result of a brain tumor is that of Charles Whitman. He was not a serial killer, but a mass murderer. After he killed sixteen people and wounded thirty from shooting at them from an observation deck, he was shot in the head by the police as they arrived on the scene. He did not know why he felt fits of rage and violent headaches, but perhaps that is what motivated him to go on his rampage. Before he died, he wrote a letter to the authorities, asking for him to carry out an autopsy on his brain. After the carried out an autopsy, they discovered a small tumor just above his brain stem. Could the tumor be the reason for his fits of rage and terrifying behavior? If that tumor hadn't been there, would it have changed anything? Would he not have killed? Since we obviously cannot go back into the past and recreate something like that, we can only speculate about the true causes and what might have happened.
Could Child Abuse Make a Killer?
Could a history of abuse be the reason behind the actions of a serial killer?
Although child abuse is not a direct link to serial killing and not all serial killers suffer from child abuse, it is a factor in the pasts of many identified murderers. Child abuse may cause a lack of empathy or sympathy for others, and make it difficult to form bonds with other people. If their parents, the ones who are supposed to love them unconditionally, cannot teach their children how to love and care, how could the children possibly learn it on their own? If children do not form bonds with their primary caretakers, whomever they may be, there is little hope for them to be able to trust in others in their future. Child abuse may cause violent tendencies, and could physically and emotionally scar child. It not only affects them physiologically by increasing the possibility of violent tendencies, but affects their health, and could cause brain damage, malnutrition, and other developmental disorders. If children are exposed to too much violence, they may see that as a "first response" to changes and challenges. But if they are raised that way and taught no different, is it truly their fault? It is what they see as right, and no one has attempted to tell them otherwise or correct them. Things such as these could lead to a person being isolated from society, where they reside with their violent fantasies as their only means for gratification. Social interaction is generally not something that they are familiar with, and since they have rather detached emotional bonds, they have not developed empathy for other humans. All that humans are to some of them is means for their violent fantasies that have comprised their life. Some children, when subject to abuse, wish to reenact on others what has happened to them, as in the case of Jesse Pomeroy.
Of course these theories are not true for all children or serial killers. Not every victim of child abuse will become a serial killer and not all serial killers suffered child abuse. But could child abuse be a link as to why some people grow up to kill? Should their parents truly be the ones to blame for subjecting them to such torture? Or is it the sole responsibility of the child that was abused?
Although child abuse is not a direct link to serial killing and not all serial killers suffer from child abuse, it is a factor in the pasts of many identified murderers. Child abuse may cause a lack of empathy or sympathy for others, and make it difficult to form bonds with other people. If their parents, the ones who are supposed to love them unconditionally, cannot teach their children how to love and care, how could the children possibly learn it on their own? If children do not form bonds with their primary caretakers, whomever they may be, there is little hope for them to be able to trust in others in their future. Child abuse may cause violent tendencies, and could physically and emotionally scar child. It not only affects them physiologically by increasing the possibility of violent tendencies, but affects their health, and could cause brain damage, malnutrition, and other developmental disorders. If children are exposed to too much violence, they may see that as a "first response" to changes and challenges. But if they are raised that way and taught no different, is it truly their fault? It is what they see as right, and no one has attempted to tell them otherwise or correct them. Things such as these could lead to a person being isolated from society, where they reside with their violent fantasies as their only means for gratification. Social interaction is generally not something that they are familiar with, and since they have rather detached emotional bonds, they have not developed empathy for other humans. All that humans are to some of them is means for their violent fantasies that have comprised their life. Some children, when subject to abuse, wish to reenact on others what has happened to them, as in the case of Jesse Pomeroy.
Of course these theories are not true for all children or serial killers. Not every victim of child abuse will become a serial killer and not all serial killers suffered child abuse. But could child abuse be a link as to why some people grow up to kill? Should their parents truly be the ones to blame for subjecting them to such torture? Or is it the sole responsibility of the child that was abused?
Searching for the Cause: Psychological Disorder?
If a killer has a psychological disorder, could that be why they kill?
Research shows that brain development could play a role in determining the possibility of a serial killer. At a certain time, the brain develops in a particular way that controls the statistical likelihood of behaviors occurring under certain circumstances, such as serial killing. If this development is interrupted or stunted, it could likely be the reason why some people do end up killing.
The most broadly recognized mental disorder associated with serial killing is Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD), which is closely related with psychopathy.
**Psychopathy is not a clinical diagnosis, but rather a developmental disorder. Not all psychopaths are serial killers.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is another disorder associated with serial killing that includes emotional instability, anxiety, and psychotic-like symptoms that can cause people to be suddenly paranoid or suspicious of others. It can result in zero empathy and is often accompanied with impulsive aggression.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) can result in a person feeling no empathy, and having brain abnormalities, and is common in serial killers.
Schizophrenia can cause those infected to become violent, especially when hallucinating. For example, the notorious Richard Chase (Vampire Killer of Sacramento) was a diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. Those suffering from schizophrenia usually have jumbled thoughts (unlike premeditated murders); enlarged lateral ventricles, depleted myelin sheaths, and abnormal clusters of neurons.
Other disorders have been implicated in the possibility of being related to serial killing or violent actions in humans. If we could discover the way these disorders work, could we be able to stop them from causing these feelings of violence in those that they inhabit?
If a serial killer has a serious mental disorder that impairs their judgement, can they truly be held accountable? Some of the killers know good and well what they're doing, but is there anything that we could have done to prevent them? Or at least help them? Should we feel sympathetic for them, or focus on their crime? The sentence usually depends on the degree of the disorder and how much it visibly affects the person, but should we take disorders into account when judging?
Research shows that brain development could play a role in determining the possibility of a serial killer. At a certain time, the brain develops in a particular way that controls the statistical likelihood of behaviors occurring under certain circumstances, such as serial killing. If this development is interrupted or stunted, it could likely be the reason why some people do end up killing.
The most broadly recognized mental disorder associated with serial killing is Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD), which is closely related with psychopathy.
**Psychopathy is not a clinical diagnosis, but rather a developmental disorder. Not all psychopaths are serial killers.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is another disorder associated with serial killing that includes emotional instability, anxiety, and psychotic-like symptoms that can cause people to be suddenly paranoid or suspicious of others. It can result in zero empathy and is often accompanied with impulsive aggression.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) can result in a person feeling no empathy, and having brain abnormalities, and is common in serial killers.
Schizophrenia can cause those infected to become violent, especially when hallucinating. For example, the notorious Richard Chase (Vampire Killer of Sacramento) was a diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. Those suffering from schizophrenia usually have jumbled thoughts (unlike premeditated murders); enlarged lateral ventricles, depleted myelin sheaths, and abnormal clusters of neurons.
Other disorders have been implicated in the possibility of being related to serial killing or violent actions in humans. If we could discover the way these disorders work, could we be able to stop them from causing these feelings of violence in those that they inhabit?
If a serial killer has a serious mental disorder that impairs their judgement, can they truly be held accountable? Some of the killers know good and well what they're doing, but is there anything that we could have done to prevent them? Or at least help them? Should we feel sympathetic for them, or focus on their crime? The sentence usually depends on the degree of the disorder and how much it visibly affects the person, but should we take disorders into account when judging?
Monday, May 12, 2014
How Can They be Organized?
The definition of a serial killer (different from mass and spree murderers) is a person that murders three or more people with "cooling off" periods in between the killings. These cooling off periods are different for each killer, and could last anywhere from hours to years. They generally do not kill for greed or jealousy, work alone, and do not just "go crazy" one day and decide to kill multiple people.
Most serial killers have been classified in two ways: motive, and organization and social patterns.
The motive method can be further broken down into a system known as the Holmes typology. The Holmes typology is broken down into "act-focused" killers and "process-focused" killers. For act-focused killers, it is all about killing itself. They kill quickly, and are separated into two groups: visionary, who kills because he hears voices or has visions that tell him to do so, and missionary, who kills because he believes he is meant to get rid of a particular group of people. The process-focused killers enjoy the torture of the victims, and kill slowly. Some of them are power-seeking, who want to "play God" or be in charge of someone's life or death, or hedonists. Among the hedonists, there is the one that kills for lust, who receives sexual gratification, the one that kills for thrill, who gets a "kick" from killing, and the one who kills for gain, because he believes he will profit from killing someone. The system is slightly flawed and will not fit all killers, but it has been useful in classifying some.
As for the organization and social patterns, there is organized and disorganized and nonsocial and asocial. The majority that have been identified are organized and nonsocial.
Many serial killers keep killing until they are caught, die, kill themselves, or burn out.
Thankfully, the Behavioral Analysis Unit within the Federal Bureau of Investigation is a special team that is trained to create profiles for serial killers to help determine where they might strike next, and to help stop them in their tirade of immoral activity. The more information they collect, the closer it may bring the world to help discover methods that can help discern who might be a serial killer before they begin killing, and to greatly decrease the death rate due to these killings.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)