Serial Killers: Are Serial Killers Born or Made?

Abstract

Background: For hundreds of years, there have been serial killers, many of whom have been white males. These serial killers have casually lived amongst the general population, which has pushed people to question what makes them different. It appears that serial killers' lives are relatively normal to those in their communities, yet this is far from the truth when taking a look with a fine-tooth comb. In reality, most of these serial killers are living double lives where they present themselves as normal to the general public and show their true killer ways when they think nobody is looking. Objective: This study aims to understand whether serial killers are born to kill or if they are molded by their environment and made to be killers. Design and Method: The research method is focused on medical and scholarly literature, along with biographical literature from serial killers themselves. The medical and scholarly resources provided information on mental disorders, side effects of head trauma, the medical histories of serial killers, and the similarities they share medically. The biographical literature provides more insight into the general background of each serial killer studied to form connections between their lives and medical histories. This research was done to address the following questions: Do traumatic brain injuries cause a higher chance of becoming a serial killer? How does mental illness play a role in being a serial killer? To what extent are genetic factors a role in determining whether or not someone is to be a serial killer? Results: This study is significant due to the number of lives lost over the years due to the serial killers that have been present in our society but have yet to be of enough concern to get more research done to prevent more serial killings from happening. The prevention of head trauma, correct treatment of mental illnesses, and understanding the family's medical history are needed to understand how to avoid increasing the number of serial killers in our society. Conclusions: Currently, more studies on serial killers have to be conducted to get a true understanding of the mind of a serial killer; however, with what is known, medical professionals must provide adequate medical attention to those who show signs of becoming a serial killer. In addition to that, a kinder, more accepting environment is needed in order to prevent children who exhibit these signs and instead have them thrive in other areas where they can put their skills to a more positive activity. Keywords: Serial killer, mental illness/disorders, head trauma, genetic, medical history