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Serial killers are people’s worst nightmare. They are very unpredictable. The smallest actions of another person will trigger the emotions of the would-be killer. Next, that specific action, verbal or physical, will become a motive for him or her. Now, there is a serial killer on the loose. Targeting anyone who triggers that specific emotion. The killer can strike any day, anyplace and at any time. No one will be expecting it. As stated, most serial killers do not kill without a purpose or a motive. Arthur J. Shawcross’s motive is being easily triggered, by verbal altercations, with other people. During his interviews, Arthur only tells excuses for his crimes. After I have read and reviewed Mr. Shawcross background and criminal history. I am linking neutralization theory to him. Neutralization theory holds that offenders adhere to conventional values while “drifting” into periods of illegal behavior. To drift, people must first overcome (neutralize) legal and moral values. This theory identifies with the writings of David Matza and his associate Gresham Sykes which they have developed in 1957 (Criminology …show more content…
Twelfth edition, p.233). They attempt to clarify Edwin H. Sutherland’s differential association theory. Which is the principle that criminal acts are related to a person’s exposure to an excess number of antisocial attitudes and values (p.229). It is said that offenders usually have personal problems and find ways to deal with them. With that, adding a combination of “playing victim” and denial. This will help make up the five techniques of neutralization theory. The first born out of four children, to Bessie, his mother, and Arthur Roy Shawcross, his father. Arthur was born in Kittery, Maine. His family moved to Watertown, New York while his dad serve in the military. Arthur claims he was the least favorite of his siblings since a young age. He was also the most punished. His parents would discipline his with different types of objects. They will use a belt and a broomstick most of the time. He had a tough childhood growing up. From wetting the bed and being bullied by his peers. To turning in to a bully and giving off erratic behavior. Arthur claims that he once engaged in sexual relation with his own sister. And he was molested by his mother. His mother denies this ever happening. Then, he also had his first homosexual experience at the age of 11. Arthur also engaged in to some bestiality moments too. Shawcross developed a wild imagination. It is hard to determine what is true and what he is conducting in that bizarre head of his. His parents and sibling stated the he had a normal childhood. He often mixes fiction with reality. So, the interviewers have a hard time believing what is true and what is not. As far as his education goes, Arthur was a smart kid in early grade school. He made the honors roll in the third grade, achieving A’s and B’s. As he grows older, the people around him thinks he is getting stranger. Arthur is beginning to go off into the deep end. Between bullying other students and his grades starting to decline, that caused him to repeat grades for two consecutive years. His IQ is dropping, drastically. Soon, he will discontinue school all together, after failing to past the ninth grade. After school was over for him, Arthur begins to develop behavioral patterns. He frequently runs away from home, when the frustration for his parents rise. He tells them that he is leaving the country, but he only goes to the next town. At least until the situation settles down. Arthur’s conversations with his many imaginary friends, only drives a bigger wedge between him and anyone that tries to associate with him. That is why one of his nicknames, oddie, is suitable for him. As he got older, he tries to have a regular life like most people. Even with a criminal record, he gets a job, a wife and even goes fishing during his free time. He also lives a double life. While in a marriage with his fourth wife, he has a mistress. And on top of that he engages in sexual acts with m prostitutes. From the information that is presented to me, Arthur Shawcross developed a split personality. He will seem to be an ordinary person, then he drifts off in to his deviant personality. Committing to what he thinks are harmless crimes. Ranging from peeping into his neighbor’s apartment to burglary and shoplifting from stores (Shawcross Presentation p.5). This is the beginning of his criminal history before serial killing. Arthur Shawcross have a series of arson crimes on his record. From setting trash cans and bushes on fire (Shawcross Presentation p.4). To burning the company buildings, he once works for (Shawcross Presentation p.6). There are five techniques of neutralization. These five techniques, Arthur will use to feel less guilty or not guilty about his actions. The techniques are denying responsibility, which young offenders sometimes claim their unlawful acts were not their fault (p.234). Denying injury, by denying wrongfulness of an act, criminals can neutralize illegal behavior (p.234). Next, there is denying the victim. Criminals sometimes neutralize wrong doing by maintaining that the victim of crime “had it coming” (p.234). Then, there is condemning the condemners. When an offender views the world as a corrupt place with a dog eat dog code (p.234). Lastly, there is appealing to higher loyalties. Novice Criminals often argue that they are caught in the dilemma of being loyal to their own peer group while at the same time attempting to abide by the rules of the larger society (p.234). I will give some examples to these techniques, so it will be easier to understand when applying them to Arthur Shawcross. While Arthur is committing crimes as a teenager, these techniques will apply to his acts. When he is burning the bushes and the trash can, he can condemn the condemners because they are “hypocrites”. They could let him off with a warning, because they have also engaged in silly acts during their youth. And when he is burning the companies he once worked for. He can argue by telling authorities “they have insurance!” or “no one got hurt!” in the process (p.234). That plan of his did not work. The result is him doing five years in prison for arson. When he started his killing spree, he was not himself. As stated earlier, Arthur is having his drift moments. The women he killed were mostly prostitutes. He drifts during a small confrontation with them, after they have engaged in sexual intercourse. The women will say disrespectful things to him, that makes him flip the switch. One of the prostitutes named Anna Steffan starts to shame his because he could not hold an erection longer. Then, she also threatens to tell the police about one of his past victims. So, he strangles her to death, then takes her body to a river and dumps it there. Denying the victim applies to this situation. Claiming that the prostitute “has a bad attitude” or “she made me do it” (p.234), is why he must kill her. Dorothy Keller was a housekeeper for Arthur and his most recent wife, Rose (Shawcross Presentation p.10). Arthur had an affair with Dorothy. She threatens to expose their affair to Rose. Giving him an ultimatum between her and his wife. Arthur then kills Dorothy and dumps her bod in the same river as the other victims. Later, they nicknamed him the “Genesee River Killer”. That is where he dumps all the women he kills. Arthur will deny responsibility for this murder, claiming “She made me do it!” and that “I didn’t have a choice!” (p.234). At this moment appealing to higher loyalties apply when he choice to save his marriage over Dorothy. Patty Ives is another prostitute that tries to steal his wallet and threatens his safety and marriage (Shawcross Presentation p.11). When she tries to expose him to the authorities. Patty tells Arthur she will tell the cops about him being the last person with a prostitute that was killed recently. Arthur strangles her to death and dumps he body in the Genesee river. It seems to be Déjà vu for him. As he kills them by strangulation and then dumping their bodies in to the Genesee River. Reaching a total of twelve victims before the police catches him, for the final time. When the prison reporter asks him about the process of murdering the women. Arthur tells him, it is quick, about four minutes, and he does not feel remorse after wards (Interview with A Serial Killer). Arthur Shawcross was serving a total of 250 years in prison, before a leg injury would send him to the hospital. He was serving his time at Sullivan state prison in Fallsburg, NY (Biography). Then was taken to a hospital in Albany for leg pains. According to Biography, Arthur died of cardiac arrest later that day. There are strengths and weakness to neutralization theory.
The theory sounds simple and understanding, but other theologist have different opinions about it. Most think the theory is underdeveloped. When the offender commits a crime, they do not use the techniques until after their acts draw attention (Assessing the Techniques Of Neutralization Theory Essay, 2015). This is one of the theory’s weakness. And they have been questions about it. The offender cannot use this theory before the crime, because that will change the theory in to rational choice theory. Changing the entire defense of the theory. The strengths of neutralization theory are the techniques and how they apply. “The theory does not only apply to lesser crimes such as, shoplifting. But to serious crimes such as, murder” (Assessing the techniques of neutralization theory sociology essay,
2015).
The motives and backgrounds of serial killers is a vexing topic. Not two people are the same, so therefore their motives differ. The different types of serial killers are: hedonistic, power seekers, gain, mission oriented, visionary, psychopathic, comfort, medical, organized, and disorganized. Motives of these murderers range from fear of being rejected, to “getting rid of what they deem bad,” or even to get sexual satisfaction from the suffering of their victims.
The Murderers Are Among Us, directed by Wolfe Gang Staudte, is the first postwar film. The film takes place in Berlin right after the war. Susan Wallner, a young women who has returned from a concentration camp, goes to her old apartment to find Hans Mertens living there. Hans took up there after returning home from war and finding out his house was destroyed. Hans would not leave, even after Susan returned home. Later on in the film we find out Hans was a former surgeon but can no longer deal with human suffering because of his traumatic experience in war. We find out about this traumatic experience when Ferdinand Bruckner comes into the film. Bruckner, Hans’ former captain, was responsible for killing hundreds
According to federal law The term ‘serial killings’ means a series of three or more killings, not less than one of which was committed within the United States, having common characteristics such as to suggest the reasonable possibility that the crimes were committed by the same actor or actors. Throughout history serial killers have always been a fascination among many individuals. On numerous of occasions law enforcement has tried to dive into the psyche of these killers to determine why they kill. There have also been numerous stereotypes placed on serial killers. Typical stereotypes are serial killers are all white males, loners, and that there crimes are driven by sex. However, through the capture of these individuals we have found said stereotypes incorrect. One of the most interesting cases being of the Beltway sniper attacks.
The question of whether or not man is predetermined at birth to lead a life of crime is a question that has been debated for decades. Are serial killers born with the lust for murder, or are their desires developed through years of abuse and torment? Many believe it is impossible for an innocent child to be born with the capability to commit a horrible act such as murder. But at the same time, how could we have corrupted society so much as to turn an innocent child into a homicidal maniac? Forensic psychologists have picked apart the minds of serial killers to find an answer as to what forces them to commit such perverse acts. Their ultimate goal is to learn how to catch a serial killer before he commits his first crime.
The article Serial killers: II. Development, dynamics, and forensics by Lawrence Miller dives in into the many aspects that encompass the psychological, neurological, and sociocultural elements that underline the average serial murderer. The elements involve childhood upbringing, types of aggression, typical neurochemistry, and subcultural theories. The article manages to include descriptions of the statistical patterns that involve the demographics, and motives that follow serial killers. It also discusses the validity and rationality of the insanity defense in prosecuting these extraordinarily vicious offenders.
In a Google search of “serial killer memorabilia”, approximately 135,000 results would appear. While the U.S. produces over eighty-five percent of the world’s serial killers (“Why do Americans Idolize Serial Killers?” 11), Americans still tend to treat these murderers as icons and celebrities. As defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a serial killer is expressed as the unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events. While it is no secret that serial killers have a different mindset than that of a normal person, do these murderers have genetically different minds? Although there is no exact answer as to what causes certain people to have the urge to kill, studies from the “Minnesota Study of Twins
Due to crime-inspired shows that air on television, fascination with serial killers presents itself more and more. People want to learn what makes a person break to the point of taking another’s life. Some suggest that killing releases a sexual desire, while others suggest that revenge may be the motive. A serial killer has the stereotypical look of a white male who tends to act socially awkward, not easily approachable, and possesses a mental illness. While the accuracy of this look tends to be true occasionally, the majority of the time a serial killer looks no different than anyone else and appears rather social. Some experts believe that a serial killer has codes in his DNA which causes him to kill; nonetheless, other experts believe environmental
Pedro Alonso Lopez, “The Monster of the Andes,” is a serial killer accused of raping and killing over 300 girls. His technique was to lure susceptible young girls into isolated areas or buildings where he would then rape each of them before killing them. Using a variety of cruel and ruthless methods, he killed the girls, strangulation being most popular. Serial murders have become a fascination of the public due to the unimaginable bizarreness that is reality. “Normal” people question how and why a human being could be so brutally vicious toward another human; psychologists have been researching that exact question for years. There is much speculation about how serial killers come to be serial killers. What
A serial killer is traditionally defined as the separate killings of three or more people by an individual over a certain period of time, usually with breaks between the murders. (Angela Pilson, p. 2, 2011) This definition has been accepted by both the police and academics and therefore provides a useful frame of reference (Kevin Haggerty, p.1, 2009). The paper will seek to provide the readers with an explanation of how serial killers came to be and how they are portrayed in the media. Several serial killers have a definitive and common personality profile.
Introduction: On the spectrum of criminal activity, serial killers are rather rare. Rarer still is a serial killer like Ted Bundy. Bundy confessed to killing 28 women in the 1970s in ghastly fashion and some believe he may have killed far more. It is hard to imagine what could cause any person to cross the mental boundary into such macabre behavior as Bundy perpetrated. Nevertheless, it is important to try to understand that behavior because only though such an understanding would society be able to identify and deter mass murderers in order to save lives.
Serial killers have captivated the attention of scientists from the first signs of their existence to modern day. Interested by these killers’ inhumane actions, researchers set out to determine the cause of such graphic, horrific crimes. The brain has been brought into question regarding the motivation of these cold blooded killers. After extensive research, abnormalities of both the chemical composition and material makeup have been identified within the brains of numerous serial killers. These differences are more than mere coincidence, they are evidence that killers do not think in the same way. The killers’ drives and motives are irregular, just as their brains are. Not only are these variations interesting, but they are also crucial to the justice system in regards to the punishment of past, future, and present sequential murderers. It is important that as a society we learn the differences in the mind of a killer, and also recognize and understand them. A serial killer’s brain greatly differs in function from the average citizen’s brain due to physical variations in the brain and a different chemical makeup.
We can all agree that serial killers are unpredictable scary people but when it comes to why they kill, everyone has a different view. In my research paper I will get into the mind of a serial killer and try to figure out what exactly sets them into uncontrollable rage.
' God, I've never done anything. Help me, help me, help me! God, why is this happening? Help Me!'; Robert Violante screamed as the Son of Sam's .44 caliber bullet tore through his temple (Mitchell p.15). At this moment Robert Violante must have asking himself why this was happening, what could cause someone to do something so atrocious? This paper examines issues related to the definition and study of serial murder. It probes the minds of some of the world's most infamous killers all the while asking the question WHY. It examines methodological issues such as problems with the FBI's so called serial murder profiling system: the fact that the serial killer stereotypes does not necessarily stand true. This paper argues that the killer is not the only one to blame for his/her actions. Together we will probe the minds of killers such as Charles Manson and John Wayne Gacy. I ask you, 'Are they Murderers or Victims?'; I personally have come to the conclusion that they are both murderers and victims.
Mass Murderers and Serial Killers are nothing new to today’s society. These vicious killers are all violent, brutal monsters and have an abnormal urge to kill. What gives people these urges to kill? What motivates them to keep killing? Do these killers get satisfaction from killing? Is there a difference between mass murderers and serial killers or are they the same. How do they choose their victims and what are some of their characteristics? These questions and many more are reasons why I was eager to write my paper on mass murderers and serial killers. However, the most interesting and sought after questions are the ones that have always been controversial. One example is; what goes on inside the mind of a killer? In this paper I will try to develop a better understanding of these driven killers and their motives.
The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. Since the beginning of time, scientists and neuropsychologists alike have studies its composition and how it influences human behavior. However, no human behavior has baffled researchers more than serial murder. Serial killers are dangerous animals that act upon bizarre influences that have fascinated the human race for thousands of years. Many wonder what could cause a person to take the life of another innocent soul. Do internal factors cause them to do it? Is it their environment? What causes a serial killer to kill?