A Closer Look At Serial Killers - 2490 Words

A Closer Look at Serial Killers Jessica Simpson Writing in Criminal Justice: Dr. Crank Appalachian State University A Closer Look at Serial Killers What comes to mind when you hear the words â€Å"Homicide in American†? For most in society, an image of a bloody crime scene or a smoking gun comes to mind. However, there is a form of homicide that, due to its individuality, society has put it into a category of its very own; this is known as serial murder. Serial murder is the rarest form of homicide, although it has become widely popular (Haggerty Ellerbrok, 2001). From the very beginning society has been fascinated with serial killers and how their minds operate, but what is a serial murderer? There have been many definitions used†¦show more content†¦Another part of this paper will also discuss motives and look into the argument of whether serial killers are born or made. Myths about Serial Killers The phenomenon of serial killers has attracted immense attention from the public, to the media, and has even crawled its way into Hollywood. Unfortunately because of their glorified fame, many myths about serial murderers have surfaced. It is important that the facts are known instead of incorrect information that backslides the understanding of the problem itself. The following list is that of the more popular myths about serial murderers and the facts that correct these myths. 1. Everyone is at danger from a serial killer. The problem with this myth is that serial killers have a specific victim typology that they target. They do not just target victims at random, there is always some method to their madness. For example, the elderly is not normally targeted by serial murders and serial murders are known to be more prevalent in urban areas rather than in rural areas (Holmes Holmes, pg. 10). 2. The FBI is involved in a serial murder cases. This myth can be attributed to tel evision and the many shows that air showing the FBI and their specialized division, the Behavioral Analysis Unit, helping to solve serial murder cases. In truth,