Introduction
Getting attention
The act of murdering other people is, unfortunately, a common thing in our society. To kill one person is already a horrifying deed, to kill more than that is a crime against all humanity. Nowadays, those who have killed three or more people are officially called serial killers.
Establishing relevance
These murderers are extremely dangerous, as the number of their victims may range from 3-5 people to even more than hundred. What is even more terrifying about serial killers is that the true number of their victims might yet be undiscovered; thus, some killers could have actually murdered more people than officially stated.
Establishing credibility
Even though the majority of serial killers is dead, put in jail or executed, the problem still exists even now, as some serial killers are still out there, and you never know when or where they might appear, and who will be their next victim. Unfortunately, after all these years, scientists have yet to come to the general consensus about what makes a person become a ruthless killing machine.
Statement of thesis
What is definitely certain is that serial killers are often psychologically unstable, void of any sense of regret for killing innocent people, and derive pleasure and satisfaction from committing murder.
Key words and phrases from the speech
Psychopathic killers
Psychological researches have indeed proven that the majority of serial killers are psychopaths and schizoids. The cause of their mental disorder is often a mystery; however, the possible contenders are various forms of abuse during the early childhood, out-of-control sexual fantasies or even cases of antisocial personality disorder. In 1974, the Behavioral Science Unit, formed by FBI, was appointed with a task of interviewing 36 serial murderers in order to discover their motivation and psychology (“The Psychology of Serial Killers” par.6). This interview has provided enough information for FBI to divide serial killers into three types: organized, disorganized, and mixed serial killers.
Organized killers plan their assassination beforehand, often thinking through their every step, thus, providing little to no evidence of their crime. Disorganized killers do not share this methodical approach; instead, they attack unexpectedly, without studying their victims and often choosing the latter randomly, without any logical reasoning. The famous Jack the Ripper, one of the first serial killers in England to actually cause some sort of a media boom around himself, can be regarded as a disorganized killer. He is known for going on a killing spree of five prostitutes, savagely cutting their bodies in the process. Dr. Thomas Bond, who was responsible for inspecting the bodies, described Jack the Ripper as “a man of solitary habits, subject to periodic attacks of homicidal and erotic mania, and the character of the mutilations possibly indicating “satyriasis” or uncontrollable sexual desire” (Bohn par.8). Ripper did not just kill his victims, but also cut and severely dismembered them. It was his personal signature, which served as an example of his psychological needs and the desire he had for his victims.
Cold-blooded murderers
Another defining characteristic that most serial killers have is the absolute absence of remorse and pity for their victims. Here is one of the quotes of Ted Bundy, a well-known American serial killer, rapist, and necrophile: “I don’t feel guilty for anything. I feel sorry for people who feel guilt” (Brogaard par.2). Ted Bundy has a record of 30 homicides that have officially been proven, but the true number of his victims is believed to me much higher than that. Most of his victims were women who resembled his college girlfriend. The fate he prepared for them was horrifying at the very least: before actually killing his victims, he often raped them; then he dismembered their heads with a handsaw, and took the parts of their body with as souvenirs. He is also believed to practice cannibalism. Looking at Bundy, many people will wonder how can a human being be so cold-blooded and void of feelings? What can possibly cause such behavior? Some biological psychologists explain the absence of certain emotions by the child abuse. Apparently, abuse can leave a certain physical track on a child’s brain, which prevents a child from being affected by various emotions. Scientists believe that this can be the reason why a child will no longer have empathy and the ability to undertake emotions of others.
Hedonistic lust killers
The killers who receive satisfaction and pleasure from killing people are often called Hedonistic killers. Sex is their main motivation tool for committing murder. Therefore, the act of murder by Hedonistic killers is often preceded or even followed (necrophilia) by a rape. Hedonistic killers are similar to drug addicts, with sex being their drug. Jeffrey Dahmer is a famous American Hedonistic killer, who murdered 17 men and boys because of his lust and desire for necrophilia. He had a rough childhood, with his family leaving him and neighbors molesting him. At a younger age, Dahmer has displayed his perverted perception of reality by impaling heads of animals in his yard. He often dreamed about killing and crippling other men and was actively looking for a sex partner. Dahmer was killed by his prison inmate in 1994.
Conclusion
Ending the speech
With these three main characteristics of serial killers being covered, I would like to summarize the main points of this report.
Summarizing main points
There are various types of serial killers, each differing from each other either by motives or the way of killing. Most of serial killers are psychopathic in nature; they often have twisted perception of things, are often cold-blooded and void of any pity.
Clincher
They are extremely dangerous, and as long as there is no definite explanation as to what may cause people to become killers, alas, they will continue to commit outrages in our society.
Works Cited
Bohn, Scott. Jack the Ripper Identified. 2014. Web.
Brogaard, Berit. The Making of a Serial Killer. 2012. Web.
The Psychology of Serial Killers. n.d. Web.