Mind of a Serial Killer summary PDF

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This summary is based off a video we watched during the semester. In the video, they discussed several different serial killers throughout history and the crimes they committed....

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Samantha Crance 9/10/2019 Dr. White Forensic Behavior Analysis Mind of a Serial Killer Summary This video begins by discussing the different training methods and the detailed outline of characteristics of serial killers. Serial killers are extremely dangerous and a challenge to catch because they are hard to find, and it is unknown when they will strike again. Sometimes they can strike one right after another or not strike again for years. After many cases over the years, this video talks about how detectives and FBI agents have taken note of behaviors of these serial killers and how they differ from case to case, but also how they define a single serial killer. For instance, if the killer has an abusive past, cruelty to children or animals, sleep problems, destroying possessions. John Douglas, an important person in the creation of classifying types of killers, has worked diligently and tireless to create a layout of different behaviors, characteristics, evidence left behind, and how they choose to kill their victims. One case in this video that I found interesting was the 1982 Wayne B. Williams in Atlanta, Georgia. Numerous young black children were disappearing and turning up dead. Most people thought the offender was a member of the KKK, but that wasn’t the case. Douglas created a profile for this offender based on the types of victims. He thought the offender to be a young black male in his early 20s who was manipulative and had homosexual tendencies towards young black males. Douglas also thought the offender would follow the investigation closely and respond with another body once the press released a report. Low and behold, Wayne B. Williams was found guilty for these murders and fit the profile almost perfectly. Another aspect of this video that is worth noting is when detectives found yet another woman dead and discovered she wasn’t a prostitute, they wondered if it was the same offender. Not only did they look at the different behaviors associated with this

killing because the victim was mutilated after death, but they also examined other characteristics and the modus operandi and if it was consistent with the past victims. Detectives could figure out that their offender showed no remorse for these killings because he lead a complete other life. He held down a job and did well according to his boss, he maintained a wife and a girlfriend, enjoyed hobbies like fishing and hunting, and he carried on his life in the same town where these killings were occurring. The detectives mentality was that the offender was not effected by his killings or what he was doing to these victims which goes against the feeling of remorse. The video concludes with the discussion of rehabilitation and how it is difficult to distinguish between killers who have been healed and those who pretend to be freed from prison. How does one define that fine, thin line between two people? How do you take that chance and allow this person back into society? The offender who had killed these prostitutes, but he also killed two young children in his earlier years of life. He was put on parole after serving 15 years and fell right back into that criminalistic pattern. So whether a criminal is given the opportunity to be allowed back into society is something that will always depend on a parole board, and if it is or is not granted is the chance the criminal takes when committing the crime....