Project Proposal

To: Haseeb Ahsan

From: Auraina Ejaz, Dua Amjad, Hooria Khan, Hamdan khan, Tala Rizvi

Date: 29 April, 2022

Subject: Environmental and Biological Factors Contributing to Development of a Serial Killer

Problem

What creates a serial killer? What moves a person’s soul to be so evil and wicked that they prey
on and commit malicious horrifying acts upon innocent people? When it comes to serial killers,
does biology play a role, or is it their environment that creates this type of person? Is there a
specific mixture to building a serial killer? First, serial killing as an act must be defined. “There
is fairly good consensus that serial killing is one of three main types of multiple homicides,
which may be simply defined as the killing of three or more people, by either an individual or
group acting in concert” (Petherick, 2014). The focus in this type of crime is partly due to the
sensational nature of these crimes but also to the fact that there is an increasing number of serial
killings across the world. Serial killers are affected by both biology and the environment. Some
experts say genetics play a role and others argue that it is the environment that an individual
grows up in, that makes one become a serial killer.

Solution

 We propose to set up awareness campaigns in order to prevent and control the

environmental factors that make a child vulnerable to becoming a serial killer. In an
article entitled, Using Behavior Sequence Analysis to Map Serial Killers’ Life Histories,
by David Keatley, et. al., the authors list numerous factors that play a role in many serial
killers’ histories. Factors such as: “parental brutality” (environment), “frequently moving
during childhood” (environment), leaving home early, “Autism Spectrum Disorder” some
sort of abuse from the mother (rejection, smothering, controlling, etc.), and prior
 convictions (Keatley, Golightly, Shephard, Yaksic, & Reid, 2018). These factors include
estranged father (environment), “low socioeconomic status” (environment), and “poor
abusive living conditions” (Keatley, Golightly, Shephard, Yaksic, & Reid, 2018). An
inference can be made with this information that environment most definitely plays a role
in making a serial killer.
 The awareness campaigns also include social profiling and identifications of those
individuals or children who depict a lack of empathy, sympathy, and concern for others
as well as breaking or not following the rules and complying with adults/authority
commands. These are the initial signs and symptoms that make a person develop the
characteristics of anti-social personality, psychopathy, or other personality disorders.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is a special mixture of certain genes, and environments, and it also

greatly depends on the individual whether they will become a serial killer. So, putting everything
on a surface level, in order to take preventive measures to reduce this vulnerability, future
resolutions will be investigated and with further studies and research, the possibility of therapy
could very well be in store for these individuals. That means without one or the other, it is likely
that serial killers wouldn’t have become killers at all. It’s the trauma in one’s life (environmental
factors) and the abnormal functions of the brain (biological/psychological factors that cause a
serial killer to kill.
 References
Chase, Jennifer. (2010, Oct. 9). Random & Interesting Serial Killer Facts. Retrieved from
http://authorjenniferchase.com/2010/10/09/random-interesting-serial-killer-facts/

Chmelir, Sandra Burkhalter. Serial Killers. (2002). Macmillan Encyclopedia of Death and Dying.
2002. Retrieved from http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Serial_Killers.aspx

Johns, L. G., Keel. T. G., Malkiewicz, S. F., McNamara, J. J., Mellecker, K.R., O’Toole, M. E.,
Resch, D. T Safarik, M. (2011) Serial Murder Multi-disciplinary Perspectives for
Investigators. Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/serialmurder

Sycomnias, Evan. (2003). Evaluating a psychological profile of a serial killer. Retrieved from
http://www.uplink.com.au/lawlibrary/Documents/Docs/Doc5.html