Essay on Robert Ressler Coined the Term Serial Killer

â€Å"We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow.† (Ted Bundy). Serial killers are not always those people that look like monsters or behave in strangeous ways. Sometimes they are the successful people, the ones that have a family and a job. The term â€Å"Serial Killer† was first coined by Robert Ressler, former director of the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program. Serial killers are often defined as people that kill two or more people over a period of more than 30 days with â€Å"cooling off† periods between each kill. Many historical criminologists suggest that serial killing has been a component of society since the beginning; suggesting that old stories†¦show more content†¦The triad includes fire-setting, animal cruelty, and enuresis (bed-wetting). A highly debate issue around serial killers is the reason behind their actions. Although many theories exist about the reason why serial killers act the way they do, the most common theory is that they are searching for some type of psychological satisfaction. A very common theory behind the reason of the actions of serial killers is the social control theory. This theory states that serial killers behave the way they do due to their inability to cope and adapt to society. Another well-known theory is the neutralization theory. This theory states that murderers sometimes move from an invisible â€Å"baseline† and commit illegal actions while sometimes moving back and acting in a conventional way. The last theory is the labeling theory. This theory, created by Erving Goffman, states that people act the way they do due to the labels that society has created for them. Therefore, if a kid is labeled as a troublemaker at a very young age, it is more likely that he will continue with this behavior through adulthood. From Ted Bundy to BTK to the â€Å"Zodiac Killer†, serial k illers have been around the United States for a long time, but none is better than Richard Chase, or better known as the â€Å"Vampire of Sacramento†, to investigate the reasons behind serial killers. Born on May 23, 1950, Chase was raised in a very strict house and was constantly abused by his parents. As aShow MoreRelatedSerial Murder And Mass Murder936 Words   |  4 Pages Before we can take on the definitions of serial murder and mass murder, we must first understand what exactly constitutes murder. According to the United States Code-section 1111, murder is defined as the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought (4). With that said, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the term serial murder implies that there are at least three different murder events at three different locations, with a â€Å"cooling off† period between each event (RamslandRead MoreThe Crime Of Serial Murder And Mass Murder1289 Words   |  6 PagesRotten Apples The act of Serial murder and mass murder have similar characteristics, however they are not the same. Before they can be defined, it is necessary to first understand what exactly constitutes murder. According to the United States Code-section 1111, murder is defined as the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought (FindLaw, 2014). With that said, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, â€Å"the term serial murder implies that there are at least three different