What drives serial killers to kill?

Answer 1

Many people think that serial murder is about sex and in fact sexual violence is a factor for a large number of these types of killers. But what most serial murder is about is power and control. This power is the true reason that these killers do what they do. Ted Bundy summed it up nicely. He loved to watch the life go out of his victim's eyes. For those few moments Bundy was in total control, he held the fate of that victim in his hands. He had the power to spare or take life as he saw fit. Even at the end of his life Bundy retained a certain control by not revealing victim's names which would have brought a certain amount of closure and relief to the families that remained. To the very end it was all about Ted.

Answer 2

Every serial killer is different, and they all have individual thought processes. The reasons for serial murder and the psychology behind it are as yet, somewhat of a mystery still although there have been great strides due to massive research on the subject. It is thought to be a combination of different aspects of genetics and environment. I can recommend several books that can help someone understand this rare type of killer. Former FBI special agent Gregg McCrary's* Unknown Darkness:Profiling the Predators and former FBI special agent John Douglas* co-authored Those Who Fight Monsters. Both of these books are well written but still easily understood by the average layman. I have studied serial murder for more than a decade and McCrary, especially, is extremely articulate and accurate.

*Both McCrary and Douglas worked in the BSU (Behavioral Science Unit, criminal profiling division in the FBI)

Answer 3

There are different kinds of serial killers and they cannot be lumped together under one catagory of mind set. The FBI lists four types of serial killers: Anger, Thrill, Financial gain and Attention seeking.

They further list the motives of these four types to fall into one of these sub-catagories: Visionary, Mission oriented, Power/control and Hedonistic. Of those whose motives fall into the hedonistic group they are further sub-catorgorized into the following: Lust, Thrill, and Control/profit.

The subject of serial murder is complex and many aspects are still little understood, even by those who have studied it for decades. There are no simple answers and as yet no way to prevent such behaviour.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Damage to the brain caused by injury in previous years.