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Serial Killer Research Paper: Dennis Rader

Connor E. Pinney

Department of Criminal Justice & Social Work, Olivet Nazarene University

CJUS 373: Criminology

Dr. Shelly Stroud

19 April 2021
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Serial Killer Research Paper: Dennis Rader

Dennis Rader, better known today as the BTK killer, had a relatively normal childhood.

People who knew his parents described them as normal and loving (Real Crime, 2020). Rader,

however, would not follow in their footsteps. His peers described him as violent towards

animals, and disrespectful to teachers. His life would take a dark turn when, after an argument

with a middle school teacher, he went to her home after school and peeped into her windows.

While watching her, he bound himself with rope and masturbated, This would be only a tame

precursor to his actions in his later years.

His Life and Crimes

Dennis Rader has killed 10 people throughout his life in order to fulfill his sexual

fantasies (Real Crime, 2020). While this is not a staggering number compared to killers such as

Ted Bundy or John Wayne Gacy, Rader is noted for his sexual sadism and the way he bound and

tortured those he murdered. He first killed four members from a family of seven in 1974, leaving

three children without their parents or siblings. Over the next two decades, Rader killed five

more women, committing his last murder in 1991, strangling a 62-year-old woman in her home.

Each of his crimes had a sexual purpose behind them, despite Rader not sexually assaulting all of

those he killed. He was sexually gratified in binding and torturing those he killed. The evidence

he left behind showed his sadistic nature, with many of those he killed still having the

strangulation weapon around their neck.

Biopsychosocial Model

The biopsychosocial model allows for the examination of a person from three different

perspectives in order to understand their actions and conditions (Cardoso, 2013). Biologically, it

is important to understand physical health, genetic irregularities, and the physical effects of an
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individual’s environment. Psychologically, one examines social skills, mental health, and

self-esteem. Finally, socially, one can examine peer and family relationships, and family

circumstances. Insight into these factors furthers understanding and guides the processing of

underlying conditions behind an individual’s actions. This understanding creates solutions to

issues stemming from these three dimensions.

From a biological perspective, there are no records of any issues that could play into the

deviant actions of Dennis Rader. He has not been diagnosed with any diseases or treated for any

traumatic injuries that may have affected his upbringing or development (Ramsland, 2016).

Psychologically, however, there is myriad evidence of mental health issues that doubtless

are closely connected to Rader’s crimes. As part of his trial, a psychologist conducted an

evaluation that ended with diagnoses of narcissistic, antisocial and obsessive–compulsive

personality disorders (Ramsland, 2016). These disorders are not root causes of his crimes, but

instead they are evidence of the way he committed his crimes. He was meticulous in his

commission, but his narcissism led to his downfall because he craved attention for his actions.

Socially, Rader had a relatively normal childhood. There were, though, some concerning

antecedents to his offenses. His friends described that on fishing trips and adventures in the

woods he often was quite cruel to animals (Ramsland, 2016). They described events where he

would hang turtles and stab small animals brutally. This wasn’t concerning enough on its own to

warrant much action, but it is important in the larger context of the life of Dennis Rader. Also

very suggestive of his future was his relationship with his mother. During the course of his trial,

Rader described the minimal relationship he shared with his mother. He described that she was

largely emotionally absent, preferring to watch television and spend time alone rather than with
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her children.Multiple criminological theories.connect strained or lacking familial relationships

with deviant or criminal behavior.

Cultural Factors

As with many who grew up in the mid twentieth century, one can characterize Dennis

Rader’s childhood by the leniency he received from his parents. He was free to explore

unaccounted for by his parents. This freedom allowed him to hide his deviant activities,

sometimes even in plain sight. His friends knew of his cruelty towards animals, but it was never

an issue, and simply a quirk of his character. His whereabouts were unknown to his parents who

didn’t worry while he peered into the windows of unsuspecting local women. This lack of

parental oversight was not a fault on the part of his parents, but a simple cultural reality of

Rader’s time.

Criminological Theories

Life Course Perspective

The life course developmental perspective views criminality as a dynamic process. The

process is swayed by individual characteristics, traits, and social experiences. As

individuals travel through the course of life, they are continuously blitzed by changing

perceptions and experiences. (Stroud, 2019, p. 95)

Throughout the course of Dennis Rader’s life, there were many important moments, but perhaps

none seem more important to the outside observer than the first time he stalked a woman home

and matsurbated with the aid of autoerotic asphyxiation. Being just a child, this is probably a

shocking story for most who hear it. The pattern that this event preceded is just a part of the

dynamic process through which Rader developed into a serial killer. Through the lens of the life

course perspective, the lack of maternal involvement in his life can be understood to have led
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him to a life of deviance because he did not have a mother figure to introduce and reinforce

social norms.

As his life progressed, Rader would continue his stalking and voyeuristic tendencies

(Ramsland, 2016). While his stealth was normally successful, he would encounter trouble, and

receive restraining orders from multiple women throughout his life. Ultimately these criminal

invasions of privacy would no longer be enough to satisfy Rader’s sadistic fantasy. Even as he

escalated to murder, he would continue for a long time to pursue stalking to satisfy himself as

well.

Social Bond Theory

Social bond theory is the idea that individuals will commit criminal acts because of

weakened or broken social bonds that would otherwise prevent the opportunity or necessity of

such criminal acts. Criminologists understand four categories of social bonds that exist between

individuals and other individuals or communities (Thompson, 2016). Attachment bonds are

deeply rooted between individuals and can often be the strongest. The societal compulsion to

uphold responsibilities strengthens commitment bonds. Association between people or groups

creates involvement bonds. Belief bonds are also deeply rooted and not necessarily between

individuals, but are based in values instilled by society or culture.

Dennis Rader had a fragile and ostensibly insufficient relationship with his mother. While

this flimsy relationship surely had an effect on the developing Rader, this relationship would

quickly also be a source of sexual frustration.

When he was young, his mother’s ring got caught in a couch spring. The terrified

matriarch quickly realized she couldn't free her hand. Rader's mother anxiously pleaded
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for her son to get help. It was then that Rader felt excited watching a trapped and helpless

woman “looking to him in terror.” (Nolasco, 2018, para. 14)

Rader said that the image of his mother trapped never left him, and the event would be a source

of many of his sadistic fantasies. He admitted himself that he was aware of the differences

between the sexual exploits and fantasies of his peers and himself. Both of these elements of

young Rader’s relationship with his mother seriously deteriorated his relationship with his

mother, and compromised the attachment bond between him and his mother. The involvement

bond between him and most of the women around him was almost non-existent. And the belief

bond was evidently inadequate.

Conclusion

Despite his relatively normal childhood, Dennis Rader would carry out horrific criminal

acts during his life. Psychologically and socially, the odds were not in his favor, having a

minimal relationship with his mother and numerous mental illnesses by the time of his

incarceration. Culturally, there were few limits to prevent his deviant development. Through the

life course theory one can understand his development into a serial killer, and through the social

bond theory one can understand how he could develop such heinous tendencies.
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References

Cardoso, J. (2013, July 16). The biopsychosocial perspective to mental health and illness. Social

Work Helper.

https://swhelper.org/2013/07/16/the-biopsychosocial-perspective-to-mental-health-and-ill

ness/

Nolasco, S. (2018, August 20). BTK killer Dennis Rader tells all in unheard interview for doc:

“It’s a demon that’s within me.” ; Fox News.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/btk-killer-dennis-rader-tells-all-in-unheard-inter

view-for-doc-its-a-demon-thats-within-me

Ramsland, K. M. (2016). Confession of a serial killer : the untold story of Dennis Rader, the

BTK killer. Foreedge.

Real Crime. (2020). Dennis Rader: The bind and torture killer [Video]. In YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZPobnwXww8

Stroud, R. (2019). Criminology. Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.

https://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781792404771

Thompson, K. (2016, April 4). Hirschi’s social control theory of crime. Revise Sociology.

https://revisesociology.com/2016/04/04/hirschi-control-theory-crime/