Defining Violence: Serial Killers

Serial Killers

A Serial Killer is a distinct category, separate from Mass Murderer or Spree killer and those classified as Serial Killers share a number of characteristics.

A Serial Killer is typically defined as someone who kills three or more persons; (though the FBI allows two or more), and the murders must take place over a period of a month or longer with a significant period of time in between each murder.

The FBI provides the following succinct definition: “a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, but not always, by one offender acting alone”. Additionally the murders are often committed due to a psychopathological drive for abnormal gratification.

The motives which drive such abnormal quests can vary but often include the desire for sexual gratification. Additional motives may involve power and control, thrill or attention seeking and anger amongst others. The motives behind certain episodes of serial murder can be classified in the same way serial murder itself is, although we will not be exploring those in this article.

Example: Jeffrey Dahmer

“I would cook it, and look at the pictures and masturbate.” Jeffrey Dahmer