Serial Killer Essay

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Serial killers are defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) as individuals who commit at least three killings over the span of a month with an emotional cooling off period in the midst. However, this definition is too broad because for the FBI definition is one that does not fit the common understanding of the term (Brogaard). The National Institute of Justice(NIJ) has a definition that is closer to the definition of what common people think of a serial killer as. According to NIJ, a serial killer is a person committing two or more murders with a psychological motive and sadistic sexual overtones. There are all kinds of different factors that could lead to serial killers feeling the way they do. Some of the biggest factors are an …show more content…

“Face is an image of self-delineated in terms of approved social attributes -albeit an image that others may share, as when a person makes a good showing for his profession or religion by making a good showing of himself” (Goffman 222). This is saying that people will show the side they want others to see but not their true self. That our character nothing but an illusion we made for societies acceptance (Scholes et al. 42). I will be taking a look at how serial killers tap into a perceptiveness of playing a false character “ordinary person.” I intend to investigate why they manipulate people using their weaknesses or vulnerabilities to achieve a perfect character. I will also investigate whether they think it was society that shaped them or that they believe that nothing is wrong. “A criminal suspect can keep his cool in the face of elaborate techniques employed by teams of police interrogators, and later receive a guilty sentence from the judge without flinching” (Scholes et al. 44). Killers will mostly try to protect their identities when they depart from approved standards of behavior or appearance, people manage impressions of themselves mainly through concealment. How can they hide their lust for killing so easily from society? What makes you makes them break their role as an average joe? How is it that a serial killer can keep his acceptable character even after most serial killers have been abused in some

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