SERIAL KILLERS

On the 31st of January Dr. Harold Fredrick Shipman was convicted of murder of 15 elderly women.He would kill his patients by injecting them with lethal amounts of diamorphine.Committed suicide at the age of 57 in HS Wakefield Prison, West Yorkshire, England.

Further investigations revealed that Dr. Shipman killed more than 400 in various locations around England

This is a typical example of a serial killer.

According to the FBI, a serial killer kills three or more people over a period of one month or longer. The time between murders is what differentiates them from mass killers and spree killers.

Some common characteristics of serial killers involve:Victims of parental child abuse.

Enjoyed themselves in torturing animals.

Involved in petty crimes.

IQ around the 'Normal Bright' range.

Enjoy watching sadomasochistic pornography.

Studies show that at any moment in time, up to 300 serial killers can be roaming the streets.90% of them are male.44% of them start in their twenties.26% start in their teens.

Classification:Visionaries-voices make them kill, usually schizophrenic or psychotic.

Hedonists-for pleasure.

Power Seekers-kill for the desire of power and control over someone.

Lust Seekers-for sexual pleasure.

Thrill Seekers-for the feeling of thrill during the act of murder.

Studies show that serial killers suffer from psychopathic or sociopathic personality disorder.About 5% of the worlds population suffers from these disorders.They hardly express any emotions.

A majority of them are very good at manipulating people, attracting them and seducing them.Sometimes they will stalk their victim for a long period of time or they will act quickly and take the victim suddenly out of nowhere.

Other causes involve childhood trauma.A lack of family or a neglectful family leads to a feeling that they need to seek approval.Psychological studies and interviews show that most serial killers admit to an unhappy childhood.

Some psychologists say serial killers are born with homicidal brain activity, being a result of biological factors.Others bring it down to trauma.

The following video will present an interview with a man who claims to kill at least 15 people.He is a classic example of someone who kills in the desire for power and control.

Many killers openly embrace their darkness and are not afraid to admit to their crimes.Other killers on the other hand when caught, will look for ways to justify their actions.They will come up with stories of demons talking to them or will plead insanity.

Although many kills are due to mental disorders, according to the law a serial killer is not insane.To be declared insane in court a psychologist would have to state that the killer did not know of his actions during the act of murder.That is not the case since serial killers always plan their next move.

So are they insane and should we be afraid of them?