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Connor Anderson
Mr. Michael Henriksen
English 1010
November 16, 2016

Why Serial Killers Do What They Do

The FBI of the United States defines serial killers as, a person who commits two or
more murders without a cooling-off period. Statistics show that throughout the past century, the
amount of convicted serial killers has fluctuated quite a bit. The amount was fairly low and
consistent each decade, until the 1960s, where a serial killing pandemic was very adamant
throughout the world. From then, the numbers kept rising. Serial killing was getting bigger and
bigger until the 2000s, when there was a huge decline in numbers. Since then, the number has
continued to decline globally. Currently, the United States analysis on serial killing shows that
we are between where we were in the 1950s and the 1960s, at 117 convicted serial killers since
2010. This goes to show that even though the rate has declined, serial killing still has an impact
on society.
My love for crime shows and horror films really sparked my interest in serial killers. In
almost every crime show or even horror film, there is a serial killer. These types of productions
make viewers either wonder who the serial killer is, or wonder what their motive is for the
killings. Although I am interested in figuring out both of those questions while watching films or
shows, I am mainly interested in solving why they killed (the motive). In this paper, I will argue
that most serial killings happen as a product of both a persons environment and genetics.

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Many people have said that we (as people) are a result of our experiences. What
exactly does that mean? That means that our experiences in life change us. This statement has
been proven by many psychologists. Our experiences can range from taking a test in school to
the death of a loved one and everything in between. Everyday we have new experiences and each
one of those experiences really shape our personalities. Studies have shown that the vast majority
of serial killers had rough upbringings and damaged households. Other people say that the main
factor that determines who we are is our genetics. Many psychologists and studies have also
proven this to be commonly true in our society. If somebody has a parent with a mental
disability, they are at a higher risk of having a mental disability themselves. Many serial killers
are products of parents with mental retardation. The controversial discussion is whether serial
killers are born or made. Both have been proven to an extent, but some argue that not every serial
killer fits into either category. Their parents couldve been far from disabled, and their
experiences in life couldve been mostly positive, and somehow a serial killer can still be made.
In my essay, I will concentrate primarily on how genetics and/or environment both
contribute to a person becoming a serial killer, even if it doesnt seem like either one does. If we
dont figure out why a person is doing what theyre doing, we wont ever know what treatment
they need or how to stop them. This is a severe problem that needs to be addressed. If we can
figure out the why, we can take steps in making necessary precautions to help solve the issue. Is
their motive based on their experiences, genetics, or both? Throughout the essay, I will give
examples of multiple serial killers and describe why they became killers. I will also discredit the
theory that experiences and genetics are irrelevant to a person becoming a serial killer. They are
very relevant, we just need to figure out what experience(s) they had or what genetic trait they

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acquired. The majority of my research will be found on the internet, because there are many
trustworthy and relevant sources to gain information from about the issue of why serial killers do
what they do.