The Mass Media in China - 3453 Words

LS22442 Mass Media Tutorial Weeks 4 and 5 WEEK 4 The Mass Media in China Read the text (translation) paras. 1-38 for Week 4, before your tutorial; watch the first half of the documentary in class, then answer the questions at end. First anniversary of China’s entry to WTO (2002) RTHK: Impact on the media Ru shi yi zhou nian(å… ¥Ã¤ ¸â€"ä ¸â‚¬Ã¥â€˜ ¨Ã¥ ¹ ´) HC427.95 .R83 2003 (local tv) Vol.2 RTHK Soundtrack: mainly Cantonese, some Putonghua (with Chinese subtitles), some English Introduction (Trans. D.B. Hunter) Recent years have seen rapid development in China’s mass media sector with a progressive shift in balance from government control to commercialization and responsiveness to markets. To cope with market demand and the challenge posed by†¦show more content†¦9. Since the station started operating, Chinese stations have been frantically adopting the same format, as programmes like this were something which few of them had ever made. One example currently being recorded is an extremely popular male beauty competition. 10. We syndicated this show to several channels already in mainland China and for instance in Chongqing, the channel that we syndicated it to there was Chongqing TV No. 2 and on that channel, in the week, in that time slot, it has gone to become the number one general entertainment channel in all of Chongqing. 11. As television stations rely on advertising revenue, the advertising industry wants to see ratings. Since Xing Kong Weishi entered the China market, it’s been bringing in spectators and advertising, leaving domestic stations to follow as best they can. The days of no competition when everyone ate from the same big pot are well and truly over and will not return. 12. In the past the mainland, media was directly under government control. This was an effective way to get policies across to the people. But the effectiveness of government-run media in a free market situation is low. To handle the impact of entry to the WTO as well as Jiang Zemin’s directive, the media need to stand on their own two feet. 13. Talking to the People’s Daily, Jiang Zemin said that the media had to properly carry out their propaganda work and at the same time make sure that they adhered toShow MoreRelatedThe Mass Media in China3469 Words   |  14 PagesLS22442 Mass Media Tutorial Weeks 4 and 5 WEEK 4 The Mass Media in China Read the text (translation) paras. 1-38 for Week 4, before your tutorial; watch the first half of the documentary in class, then answer the questions at end. First anniversary of China’s entry to WTO (2002) RTHK: Impact on the media Ru shi yi zhou nian(å… ¥Ã¤ ¸â€"ä ¸â‚¬Ã¥â€˜ ¨Ã¥ ¹ ´) HC427.95 .R83 2003 (local tv) Vol.2 RTHK Soundtrack: mainly Cantonese, some Putonghua (with Chinese subtitles), some English Introduction (Trans. D.B. Hunter) RecentRead MoreThe Agenda Setting Model Can Guide The Public Opinion And Mass Communication1464 Words   |  6 Pagesand mass communication about some social or political issues. Different with media effects model, the media effects more like to telling people how to think, however, the agenda setting model is successful in telling people what to think about. In a general way, agenda setting theory was constructed in the environment of traditional mass media, and the purpose is to study traditional mass media. About the visual agenda setting, the particular pictures, videos affect the influence of the media, whichRead MoreRole Of Local Media On Public Diplomacy1705 Words   |  7 Pageslocal media in promoting Public Diplomacy of China in Zanzibar. 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17th Century Shakespeare Sonnet 33 - 1780 Words

16th CENTURY SHAKESPEARE SONNET 33 Jackson Hawkins Ms. Sokash Honors English Literature Per 4 20 May 2015 Jackson Hawkins Ms. Sokash Honors English Literature Per-4 20 May 2015 In the early 16th century, the English language did not have the prestige as it does today. Many great works were written in other languages like Latin. One of the first major works to be written in English was Thomas More s Utopia which was originally written in Latin and finally translated into english in the 1550’s. Shakespeare, Marlowe and the first translators of the bible were some of the first great English writers, which put the English language on the map. The Tudor dynasty beginning in 1485, ruled by King Henry VII marked the beginning of a very cultural nation. During the Tudor dynasty, arts and literature flourished. The widespread use of the printing press and the popularization of protestantism encouraged literacy among people, due to the fact that books, especially the Bible, were more accessible among common people. The Renaissance in 16th century England differed from that of the Renaissance in France and other parts of Europe. As opposed to having a cultural rebirth in arts and sciences like other parts of Europe, England experienced more spiritual and intellectual growth due to the expansion of protestantism, which led to a more humanistic approach. Literature during the Renaissance emphasized order and pattern, and had a great interest in mind and heart. InShow MoreRelated William Shakespeare Essay2763 Words   |  12 PagesWilliam Shakespeare Ask anyone who Shakespeare was, and he or she will immediately rattle off at least three different plays that were required readings in English, not to mention a few blockbuster movies bearing his name. Many revere the works of Shakespeare as paramount in the world of literature, dedicating entire books, classes and festivals to the study and celebration of his work. Although the ancient language is a common stumbling block for even the most seasoned readers, his varied talesRead MoreLove in To His Coy Mistress and The Flea Essay1850 Words   |  8 PagesMistress, by Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) and The Flea, by John Donne (1572-1631) present different attitudes to love. Both are also structured very differently and occasionally use contrasting imagery. Each poem was written in the 17th century, just after the Renaissance. The poets were metaphysical poets. Although the metaphysic was originally a derogatory term, metaphysical poetry used intellectual and theological concepts in an ingenious way. Metaphysical poetryRead MoreSantrock Edpsych Ch0218723 Words   |  75 Pages02-EdPsy-Chap02-6123 8/22/06 2 3:33 PM Page 32 Physical and Cognitive Development Preview Examining the shape of children’s development allows us to understand it better. Every childhood is distinct, and is the first chapter in a new biography. This chapter is about children’s physical and cognitive development. These are some of the questions we will explore: †¢ Do children develop in distinct stages, or is their development smoother and more continuous? †¢ How do children develop physically

Serial Killers Free Essays

string(60) " perpetrator of the 2011 attacks in Norway, Anders Breivik\." What makes a serial killer? Introduction Reported incidents of multiple murders committed by an individual, who are now known to us as ‘serial killers’, have increased in notoriety since the 1870s. Although almost unknown at that point in time, they did exist. Mary Ann Cotton was Britain’s first acknowledged serial killer. We will write a custom essay sample on Serial Killers or any similar topic only for you Order Now Mrs Cotton spent roughly eight years killing her victims, most of which were her family members. However, when the notorious ‘Jack the Ripper’ began his reign of the Whitechapel region of London in the 1880s, the public became aware that such disturbed and sadistic people were living in their midst. (Jones, 2008 p 12. ) However, serial killers are not so unheard of nowadays. The media also play a big part in how society views serial killers. No other story is quite as sensational as those in which serial killers are at large. The ‘Jack the Ripper’ case was the beginning of a media tradition; the case moved faster than any other previous case and was also of interest in America. No-one knows for sure if the letters received by the police department were written by ‘Jack the Ripper’, (Appendix One) although it is evident that ‘Jack the Ripper’ and his letters were the beginning of a long tradition of extensive media coverage that include news stories, television documentaries, websites, films and books. The term ‘serial killer’ itself is very commonly used worldwide when describing someone who has killed more than three victims. Since the 1800s, there have been thousands of convicted serial killers, excluding those who have yet to be caught, or those who have managed to evade capture (Murray, 2009 p 7). People commit multiple murders all over the world, and many of them have very different reasons for doing so. Some professionals blame it on the childhood or early family life of the individual, whereas others believe it to be psychological. Throughout this piece of writing, numerous sources will be used to analyse and establish a brief possible answer regarding the potential reasons behind a serial killer’s actions. In order to complete this research project, the use of several journals, online articles and books, including, ‘Talking with Serial Killers’ by Christopher Berry-Dee, and ‘British Serial Killers’, by Martin Fido. These two books, combined with others will provide this research project with certain characteristics that the general public assume will run similarly throughout most, if not all, of the world’s serial killers. This research project will aim to investigate the factors in which become acquainted to a serial killer and what people associate with them. It will explore specific characteristics that people tend to associate with serial killers and the reasons for this. As well as studying specific murderers, this project will look into both male and female serial killers and identify in what way they differ. Chapter one will discuss the factors deemed to be surrounding the cases of most serial killers before continuing to examine what contributes to the making of a killer. This chapter will analyse the stereotypes of this particular category and whether particular facts only count towards particular people. A brief study in to whether or not the past of the serial killer could be the cause of the main issues will be carried out within the chapter itself. After discussing both male and female murderers and the differences between the two, the evidence will be reviewed to conclude the chapter. Chapter two will research and describe in depth two serial killers. Namely ‘Jack the Ripper’ (1880s) and Dr. Harold Shipman (1990s). The two murderers are of a very different nature and are from completely different time frames. Each murderer will be thoroughly evaluated and their actions will be explained in order to compare and contrast the dissimilarities between the pair. The attitudes of each killer will be looked at and it will be decided whether or not they are alike in any way at all. Finally, the chapter will be concluded with a brief summary of how the two can still be labelled in the same way. To conclude this project, all evidence will be analysed in order to establish the initial ‘factors’ of being a serial killer. All the chapters will be dissected and examined in order to find an answer to the question of the project. Each individual chapter will be concluded before connecting all three together to answer the question provided in the title. This research project will end with a final result after having reviewed all the work presented. Background Commentary The United States of America is home to five per cent of the world’s population and has produced more serial killers than any other country. America accounts for seventy-six per cent of the total number of serial killers. Europe produces the second highest amount of serial killers at seventeen per cent, with England holding the majority, closely followed by Germany. A serial killer should not be confused with a mass murderer; a mass murder includes the massacre of a large number of people, either by an individual or a group of people. A serial killer only tends to murder one person at a time; there have been cases in which a serial killer has killed two victims during the same frenzied attack. A serial killer also has vast differences to that of a spree killer. A spree killer is an individual who embarks upon a homicidal assault on at least two victims within a short period of time and in numerous locations. The Bureau of Justice Statistics based in America, explains that a spree killing is â€Å"Killing at two or more locations with almost no time break between† (Shipley, 2007). The greatest mass murders in history included attempts to kill ethnic groups of people. Adolf Hitler is one of the most infamous mass murderers of all time, due to his leadership in Germany during the Holocaust (Welch, 1992). In recent years mass murder has been blamed on religion and politics. An example of this is the perpetrator of the 2011 attacks in Norway, Anders Breivik. You read "Serial Killers" in category "Essay examples" He bombed a government building, before carrying out a mass shooting at a Labour camp; he caused the deaths of seventy-seven people, mostly teenagers, all in the same day (Boyle, 2011). Over the last few decades, serial killers have been labelled with a list of typical characteristics in which the public associate with serial killers in general. Many serial killers experience difficulty in finding employment and those that do work usually have menial jobs. However serial killers in some cases also appear normal; they often have families and live a relatively ordinary life. Research undertaken by psychiatrists has found that many serial killers were abused, physically, emotionally and in some cases, sexually by family members as children (Brown, 2008 p. 2). As children, many serial killers have been reported to have had a fascination with setting fires and may have been involved in the sadistic torturing of animals. These traits were usually found in children who had not yet reached sexual maturity. More than sixty per cent of known serial killers have been known to have wet their beds well into their teenage years; however, in the Macdonald triad that was first prop osed in the journal of Psychiatry in 1963, the significance of this data has been questioned. (Macdonald, 1963 p. 125 – 130). A serial killer may have been bullied as a child and may also have been involved in petty crime as adolescents. Crimes such as fraud, theft and vandalism are amongst the crimes commonly reported. There are also some serial killers that do not meet the â€Å"normal† criteria. Dr Harold Shipman was a well-educated and respected member of the community; he was a successful General Practitioner who worked for the National Health Service. He had won several awards for his work within the Children’s Asthma clinic and had been interviewed several times by the media for his upstanding dedication to the health profession (Wilson, 2011 p. 1). An example of a stereotypical serial killer is Peter Sutcliffe, also known as The Yorkshire Ripper. Peter Sutcliffe was a British born serial killer who was convicted in 1981 of the murder of thirteen women and the attacks on seven others. Peter Sutcliffe was born to a working class family who were also devout Catholics, and he also was repo rted to have been a loner at school and left without any qualifications at the age of fifteen years old. After leaving school he embarked upon a number of menial jobs, one of which was as a grave digger. During his early twenties Peter Sutcliffe was known to have paid prostitutes for sex, and during one of his liaisons with a prostitute it is believed that Sutcliffe was cheated out of his money, which added to his volatile dislike of women. Peter Sutcliffe led a relatively normal life, he married in 1974 and his wife became a teacher in 1977. Sutcliffe and his wife Sonia Szurma bought their first home in September 1977 and remained living there until his arrest in 1981 (Dailey, 1999). Chapter One This chapter will aim to establish the expected characteristics of a serial killer. A serial killer is generally characterised as a person responsible for the death of at least three people over a vast period of time. Between each murder there is usually a quiet period that can last for many years, however a serial killer has the need for sadistic gratification and therefore it is only a matter of time before they kill again. â€Å"A serial killer is a person who has killed three or more victims, with an emotional cooling-off period between the crimes. Whether or not it was for greed; whether or not it was to prevent his identity from being made known to the police; or whether or not it was sexual †¦ they are still classed as a serial killer† (Fido, 2003 p. 53). More than ninety per cent of the worlds’ convicted serial killers are from lower class backgrounds. They are typically male, Caucasian and generally intelligent, although they may have suffered educationally at school due to a lack of concentration. Many had experienced a disturbing childhood of sexual, physical and psychological abuse. On average many serial killers were raised in unstable and volatile families, often with a history of alcohol and drug abuse. Many children raised in such families often spend a vast amount of time alone, with many indulging in the abuse and cruelty towards animals from a young age (Singer, Hensley, 2004 p. 461 – 476). It is a rare occurrence for a woman to become a serial killer; females are normally close to their victims emotionally and often murder to achieve material possessions. The victims are not just restricted to men; a study of eighty-six female serial killers living in America discovered that the victims were normally the spouse, a child, or in some cases the elderly. A female serial killer mainly uses unconventional methods in order to kill her victims. Methods such as poisoning are amongst the preferred option for killing, other ways women commit murder include suffocation, used by sixteen per cent of women, stabbing, used by eleven per cent of women, shooting, used by twenty per cent of women and drowning, used by five per cent of women. Women, on the other hand, are less visible and use methods such as poisoning in order to be discrete and keep under the radar. This accounts for eighty present of the methods used to kill their victims. Women can be termed gentle killers;however, their methods are still gruesome, just less graphic in nature. Other methods used by women include: shootings (20%), bludgeoning (16%), suffocation (16%), stabbing (11%), a nd drowning (5%)†. (Newton, 2000 p 237). As previously stated, many female serial killers commit murder to achieve material or financial gain; however there have been instances where women commit murder for attention. There have been cases where the female serial killer has been diagnosed with the medical condition ‘Munchausen by proxy Syndrome’. Munchausen by proxy Syndrome is a condition in which the perpetrator fakes or causes symptoms that then cause injury to another person, very often a child. The injury results in the victim needing medical treatment in a hospital setting (Hicks, 2012). Very little research has been done concentrating on the common influences, in particular the expectations and gender roles of women which factors in such women committing numerous murders. Every individual killer has her own tendencies, needs and triggers, as particular reasons behind each murder can only be acquired from the killer herself. Female serial killers rarely have sexual or sadistic motives behind their murders, however many of these women have a history of childhood abuse along with psychopathic traits. There have also been occasions in which a woman has acted in partnership with a male serial killer. Rose and Fred West were a couple that made headlines in recent years for their spree of murders across Gloucester (Berry – Dee, 2003 p. 221). The typical sado – serial killer appears extraordinarily normal. However they have a sinister appetite for control, power and dominance, and they kill not for money, not for revenge, but because the act of murder makes them feel good. In America there are up to two-hundred victims of sexual serial killers per year, this number seems relatively large however in reality very few compared with the eighteen-thousand single victim murders that take place in America on a yearly basis. Sixty five per cent of serial homicide victims are women. In the media serial killers are commonly portrayed as being of above average intelligence. This portrayal is mainly due to the media focusing on serial killers such as Ted Bundy and fictional serial killers such as Hannibal Lecter, from the film The Silence of the Lambs. There have been sociological and biological theories as to why particular people commit multiple murders. A number of theorists think that the reasons people become serial killers are because of biological factors, the suggestion that a serial killer is born with sadistic tendencies and that their volatile behaviour is due to abnormal activity within the brain. Social Process Theory† has also been used in several cases as an explanation for multiple murders. The social process theory declares that the murderer uses crime to turn the pressure they are under from family and friends. The behaviour of criminals is a practice of collaboration with social institutions, where every person has the potential to display criminalised behaviour. An absence of a family structure could also be a contributing facto r that leads to serial killer traits. A child that has been used as a scapegoat may have been denied of the capability that they need in order to feel guilt. Transferred anger could have a consequence of animal torture as recognised in the Macdonald triad, and an added absence of basic identity (Berry – Dee, 2003 p. 281). There are many traits that are distinguished in a serial killers psyche; however as child it is difficult to make judgments on how a child is going to grow up. It would not be appropriate to make assumptions on whom or what a child will become. Chapter Two This chapter will aim to provide information on two serial killers, who acted in different ways completely. This research project will then examine both serial killers and discuss how both earned the gruesome title. The first serial killer to be explored by this chapter will be, ‘Jack the Ripper’. This murderer delved in to a killing spree in the late 1800s and managed to keep his identity unknown. Between 1888 and 1891, fourteen were found dead, having been brutally murdered. It is believed that at least five of the murders were committed by the same person, ‘Jack the Ripper’. (Sugden, 2002 p 15). The murders took place; in Whitechapel, London, and it remain one of the biggest murder mysteries of all time. Due to the poor living conditions in the area during that period, many women were forced in to prostitution. Attacks that have been blamed on the Ripper all involved females, believed to be prostitutes, most of which had their throats slit. It is believed that whoever the ‘Ripper’ was may have had surgical experience or worked in health. This was due to the fact that at least three of the victims had some of their internal organs removed from their bodies (Sugden, 2002 p 284). Although there were additional butchered bodies found in the same period, they were not proved to have been killed by ‘Jack the Ripper’. It is not known when exactly, or even why ‘Jack the Ripper’ stopped his killing spree, but there were no additional bodies found after 1891 (Appendix Two). The fact that the identity of the murderer has remained a mystery has sparked interest from the media, criminologists and the public alike. There have been at least six feature length films adapted from the story of ‘Jack the Ripper’, and all have gained a lot of interest and money internationally. One example is a film called From Hell, released in 2001. The film earned $74,558,115 in the box office. www. imdb. com). Additional to this, hundreds of books have been written about the story of ‘Jack the Ripper’. â€Å"Every year, it seems there is another theory and an entire industry has grown up around him, with more books having been written about him than have been written about all of the United States presidents put together† (Kerr. 2009 p 22). In more recent years, knowledge of a serial killer named Dr. Harold Shipman widened. In 1977, Harold Shipman joined a GP practice in Hyde, Greater Manchester called Donnybrook House. After working there for nearly twenty years, a colleague of his, named Dr. Linda Reynolds, noticed that he had been present at three times the number of patient deaths than expected statistically. Although she passed her concerns on to the coroner immediately, her report was not followed up. The following year, an elderly patient of Shipman’s, Kathleen Grundy, suddenly died, leaving a will claiming that her ? 300,000 fortune was to be left to her doctor, Harold Shipman. This led to the doctor coming under official scrutiny. The two people who witnessed the will came forward soon after, claiming to have witnessed the signing as a favour to Harold Shipman, and said that he had folded the paper so that they could not see what they were in fact signing (Appendix Three). In September that year, Harold Shipman was arrested for the murder of Kathleen Grundy, after a post mortem revealed that she had died from an overdose of injected morphine. Mrs Grundy was not Harold Shipman’s only victim. It is thought he may have killed more than two-hundred victims. The truth was discovered when an officer noticed that Dr. Shipman had made changes to patient records just minutes after their deaths. Dr. Shipman was unaware that the computer recorded the date and time of edited records. He denied ever carrying morphine with him, but this allegation was proved to be a lie. â€Å"He claimed that he had never carried morphine, but this was proved to be a lie when a woman came forward to say that she had been given a morphine injection by him during a house visit† (Kerr, 2009 p 116). In contrast to most other serial killers, there does not seem to have been any sadistic or sexual element to Dr. Shipman’s murders. Most of his victims were killed in their own homes, and although elderly, few of them were seriously ill or particularly uncomfortable. It has been claimed that the doctor simply became addicted to having the power of ‘handing out death’. (Wilson, 2011p 31). These particular two serial killers, ‘Jack the Ripper’ and Dr. Harold Shipman, have few things in common. One of them brutally murdered their victims and left their bodies lying in the street to be found in the broad daylight by anyone. There was no attempt to cover up or hide any of the murders. Whereas the latter caused eath by injection, resulting in what would have seemed like a more relaxed death. Rather than attempt to hide or dispose of the bodies, Harold Shipman attempted to make it look like all of his victims died of severe illness or natural causes. There are hundreds of different and unique ways in which certain serial killers attack their victims. It is very rare to read or hear of different serial killers who have killed their prey in exactly the same way, unless of course, they are copycat killers. These are just two examples of serial killers who have differed completely in what they did. With all this information present, it is still the case that people stereotype serial killers with certain characteristics. Some attackers go from extreme to extreme in the ways in which they kill, whereas others attack as discreetly as possible in hope to avoid being caught by the local police department. With so many of the killers, for example, aforementioned, being so very different, how is it that the public can assume the certain stereotype they have always known? How can people think all serial killers attack in a certain way or come from a certain background or family life when each and every one of them is so unlike the others? Conclusion No two serial killers are exactly the same, other than copycat killers who intend to recreate another’s actions. However, no matter how one murderer extremely differs from the next, they are all labelled with the same list of stereotypical characteristics. Some serial killers, Peter Sutcliffe, for example butchered their victims and sometimes even left their bodies dismembered. They were gruesome killings that eventually caused huge media frenzy throughout the nation home to the victims. These are the killings that predominantly remain in people’s minds when they are thinking of serial killers. This is purely because of how inhumane and violent these cases are. This could be the reason for the assumption that every serial killer comes from a very troubled background. In contrast to this, other murderers, such as Mary Ann Cotton, used calmer methods. Mary killed her victims with doses of poison. This is a case that is rarely remembered by people. This is probably due to the fact that it was not gruesome or ferocious; therefore is not remembered as easily as the others. Although these are at either ends of the scale when you compare the two, they will still both be labelled with he same stereotype, as all serial killers tend to be. All serial killers have expected typical characteristics considered to them. Generally, they are thought to be rather intelligent. Most serial killers either contain a similar intelligence level to an average person, or sometimes even higher. A lot of the murderers tend to be very bright, and this aids them when it comes to initially escaping from the police. There are two contradicting factors that tend to be associated with a serial killer. Firstly, many serial killers are thought to come from unstable family backgrounds or broken homes. Some may have even been victims of abuse themselves in previous years; emotionally, physically or even sexually, at the hands of a family member or family friend. Basically, it is suggested that most multiple murderers come from troubled backgrounds. In contrast to this, most serial killers are considered to be part of a normal family life now. This could mean that they are either married, or have children, and blend in to society like a normal civilian living their normal, regular day to day lives among different cultures. Additional factors that can be seen in many killings worldwide are paraphilia’s. This is a term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, or individuals that are not part of the norm, and may cause problems or distress. Examples of this are necrophilia and fetishism (Murray, 2009 p 10). Many serial killers are thought to have been bullied from a young age. This along with the idea that they had an unpleasant upbringing would explain the escalation in unruly, and, eventually, fatal behaviour. Some serial killers, such as Ed Gein, were known to have been involved in petty crimes prior to their spell of killings. These crimes included cases such as vandalism, fraud, and in Gein’s case, theft (Murray, 2009 p 31). These factors, and others mentioned throughout this research project are automatically credited to anyone given the title of ‘serial killer’. Some of the murderers did not fit in the description of hardly any of the characteristics. An example of one of these exceptions is Harold Shipman. Harold Shipman was a General Practitioner, who was very much part of his community. In 1970, he graduated from Leeds School of Medicine, before beginning working as a GP in Manchester. Harold Shipman had witnessed the death of his mother at home via injection of morphine. She was terminally ill and he was very close to her. It appears as though he killed all of his victims in the way in which he saw his own mother die when he was seventeen years old. It is thought he was recreating his mother’s death among his patients, sometimes for financial gain. However, Dr. Shipman does not fit the list of features that tend to be attributed to a serial killer. When serial killers are mentioned, most people automatically assume that the person in question is of the male gender. This is just another example of the stereotypes surrounding a serial killer. Several women have committed the crime that is normally acquainted to males. Females such as Aileen Wuornoss and Rose West have murdered on more than one occasion in ways which are as brutal as some of the most infamous male serial killers. Yet still, when serial killers are mentioned, these are not the names that spring to mind, purely because they do not fit the ‘criteria’ of being a serial killer. To conclude, although everyone has their views on what a serial killer is, all are different. In order to answer the question ‘What makes a Serial Killer? ’ a list of factors should be able to be provided in order to describe what kind of person commits multiple murders. However, as the research above has shown, not one list of traits could possibly be used to describe serial killers as a whole. Anyone can be a murderer. Something could happen in somebody’s life that can cause them to go crazy and lash out. Peter Sutcliffe, for example, claims he began his string of multiple murders after God told him to (Bilton, 2006 p 427). Specific personalities and features cannot possibly be linked to serial killers in general. For example, if there is a serial killer in question, people tend to think of a male, with a troubled background, who may have been bullied and has a criminal history. Wrong! A serial killer can be of any gender, any general appearance, come from any background and so on. Normal people never stop and think before making the judgement call. After reviewing all evidence present, this research project concludes with the knowledge that a particular group of characteristics could not possibly explain what makes a serial killer. A person may turn to committing multiple murders after something terrible has happened in their lives, they may be acting out in anger for a particular something or seeking revenge on the world in general, or they are and always have been psychologically damaged. There is no end to the list of reasons that somebody turns to a life of crime on this scale, but one description is not enough to warn the world of the signs of a serial killer. Appendix One A copy of one of the many letters received by the police department, claiming to be from ‘Jack the Ripper’. The letter is dated 25th September 1888. Appendix Two A copy of a newspaper article, giving the scene descriptions and clues to who ‘Jack the Ripper’ could potentially be. Dated Wednesday, September 11th, 1889. Appendix Three The death certificate of Kathleen Grundy, signed by Dr. Harold Shipman. How to cite Serial Killers, Essay examples Serial Killers Free Essays Many misunderstand the true meaning of the term serial killer and confuse it with those of mass murderers and spree killers. However, a serial killer has much different tactics than those of mass murderers and spree killers. In order to be declared a serial killer, one must commit three or more murders over a period of more than thirty days with time in between each murder known as a â€Å"cooling off† phase. We will write a custom essay sample on Serial Killers or any similar topic only for you Order Now Each murder for a serial killer is committed for some sort of psychological fulfillment. Most serial killers have similar characteristics either within each murder, victim or sometimes both. These may include: occupation, sex, age, appearance, and race for the victim and molestation, rape, strangulation, shooting, decapitation, and many more gruesome acts most cannot even begin to imagine. There are many various classifications of serial killers depending on how and what they get from each murder they commit. Organized nonsocial offenders often methodically plan out each and every offense meticulously prior to actually carrying out their crime. Organized nonsocial serial killers may look and act like ones neighbor seemingly normal with a steady job and family. However, they follow their crimes through the media intently. Unlike organized nonsocial offenders, disorganized asocial offenders often act on impulse using blitz type attacks killing their victims in whichever ways they desire to at the time. They rarely cover their tracks but somehow seem to get away unnoticed. They are often socially awkward with few friends and previous mental disabilities. Jack the Ripper was the first known and reported serial killer. He first struck in 1888 in Whitechappel, London. The theory that ties into the story of the gruesome serial killer in London would be the trait theory. The sub theory of the trait theory is psychological due to lack of evidence to help support his past experiences in his life and because it was not premeditated. It was simply a rage of violence against middle class women prostitutes. The way this killer showed no remorse to the brutal mutilation of these women proved in fact to be a psychological problem. Not only did Jack the Ripper kill multiple women but he mutilated their bodies almost to the point of an unrecognizable state. He was a nonsocial offender who simply attacked his victims as he found them rather than premeditating each attack. He wanted to be known in London at the time and involved the press by writing letters in order to give himself a name. Jack the Ripper only killed within the city of Whitechappel and made most of his attacks under the cover of darkness. Mary Nichols was a 43 year old woman and prostitute who became Jack’s first murder. She was discovered at 3:40 A. M. with no clues as to who killed her and her body completely mutilated. Her lover at the time was only able to identify her remains by her eye color and hair color. By September 30, 1888 he had killed two more females; Elizabeth Stride also known as â€Å"Long Liz† who was fully recognizable and Catherine Eddowes a 46 year old female prostitute who, like his first victim, was found mutilated. Mary Jane Kelly was Jack the Ripper’s final victim before he stopped killing and vanished in February of 1891. To this day the identity of Jack the Ripper has never been discovered. During this time period it would have been difficult to stop a psychopath on a rampage to mutilate any prostitute they ran across due to the lack of privacy, security on one’s home, and lack of technology to gain significant evidence against the murderer. The evolution of society has created its own solution to stopping killers before they become serial killers, in most cases. (America’s) The Zodiac Killer attacked in Northern California where he claimed his first victim on October 30, 1966. (Newton) The Zodiac Killer used a gun and most often searched out couples to kill. He did not necessarily have a motive he was said to kill, just to kill. He claimed that his victims became his slaves for afterlife. This is another example of trait theory also with the sub theory of a psychological problem. Again, in this situation we do not know the identity or youth life of the Zodiac Killer therefore we are unable to determine if this possibly could be a biological sub theory. The Zodiac Killer shows that he has a psychological problem by not premeditating his attacks and choosing his victims at random. It is also apparent that the Zodiac Killer had a psychological problem by his desire to involve the media and lead police directly to his victims through phone calls and letters without a trace of evidence and or remorse. Some say that the Zodiac Killer is the perfect serial killer because his letters were written in a cryptic cipher. The first letter began, â€Å"I like killing people because it is just so much fun. † (Newton, 254) By the end of the Zodiac’s killing rampage he has an estimated 40 victims with 39 of them being female. At this time the case remains open and the identity of the Zodiac Killer unknown. Our society could improve or lessen the chances drastically of another Zodiac-like killer from striking again by keeping better ballistic records of evidence along with using more advanced diagnostic tools on the letters and phone calls to the media. Jack the Ripper and the Zodiac Killer both killed at random without previously planning any one specific murder. Both had psychological problems but managed to go on killing with their identities undiscovered. Neither one showed any signs of remorse throughout their killings or contacts with the media proving that killing to them, was just a game. There are many reasons serial killers chose to kill, and with these two psychopaths it was the thrill of the kill. Albert Fish was a serial killer who killed his first victim, Billy Gaffney, in February of 1927. It was with his first victim that Fish became known as not only a serial killer but also as a pedophile and cannibal. Albert ate Gaffney’s ears, nose, and face in a stew and roasted his butt and genitals in the oven before consuming those too. America’s) Fish is an example of trait theory with sub theories of biological and psychological problems. Albert Fish was born into an unstable household and not long after his mother put him up for adoption. When no one adopted him, he was placed in an orphanage where he witnessed and endured many beatings. It was then that he realized he enjoyed watching others endure pain and would eventually grow to enjoy these beatings himself. He went to the extreme as to insert needles under his nails and into his genitals to feel the rush of pain. Rumor has it that on Fish’s execution day, January 16, 1936, he shorted out the electric chair because of the amount of metal inserted into his abdomen and groin. Fish stated, â€Å"If only pain were not so painful! † (Newton) Authorities compiled that Fish went on to molest and castrate at least 100 victims before Fish declared himself that he had children in every state leaning authorities to the possible victim count being closer to 400. It was realized that Fish also carried the sub theory of a psychological problem when he abducted Grace Budd, taking her to a cottage and dismembering her body before slowly cooking and eating her remains. Fish had premeditated this murder and wanted the Budd family to know that six years later he was still thinking of their daughter. In 1934, he wrote a letter to the Budd family stating that Grace had, â€Å"died a virgin† and it had taken him nine days to eat her remains. (Newton, 63) Due to the knowledge of Fish’s childhood and understanding of the premeditated murders he committed, we are able to determine that Fish has both sub theories of psychological and biological problems. Our society can prevent another psychopath serial killer like Fish from victimizing children across the nation by using better analysis of criminals childhood’s and keeping better records of where criminals known to molest children are located. Jeffery Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Monster, was also a serial killer who had cannibalistic tendencies. He grew up in a middle class family in Wisconsin and was molested by neighbor boy. This became a pivotal turning point in Dahmer’s life leading him to begin experimenting with animals’ carcasses and bones. Dahmer’s first kill came the summer after his graduation as he picked up a hitch hiker and continued to slaughter him, beat his skull with a barbell, strangle him to death, and dismember and bury his body. Dahmer was shocked with himself after this happened and tried college for a short time before entering the military on a 6 year enlistment. He was discharged after 2 years due to heavy drinking and returned home to live with his grandmother in West Allis, Wisconsin. (Newton) Dahmer carries the trait theory with both sub theories of biological and psychological problems. Proof shows Dahmer was part of an unfit household as a child due to the facts that his molestations and obsessions with mutilating animal carcasses went unknown by his family or ones caring for him. His parents separated and neither of them felt the need to take Dahmer with them so Dahmer fell under the supervision of his grandmother. Jeffery’s grandmother soon kicked him out of the house due to the stench of his â€Å"experiments†. (Newton) His psychological problems become apparent with the victims he chose and how he became aroused by the smell of decaying flesh and the sight of lifeless prey. America’s) He chose his victims by meeting men at gay bars and bringing them home merely to kill, dismember, cook and eat them. Our society could prevent another Dahmer-like serial killer from presenting themselves by making records of child molestations more public and getting children who have been molested proper counseling and treatment post attack. Both Albert Fish and Jeffery Dahmer had instances in their childhoods that can be deemed as pivotal turning points creating the psychopath serial killers they became. Unlike Dahmer, Fish preyed on children while Dahmer preyed on men his age. The murders by Albert Fish and Jeffery Dahmer were committed out of a desire for power and lifelong attachment to their victims. By eating their victims’ remains they felt as if they would forever be attached to them. This proves both Dahmer and Fish had sub theories of psychological and biological problems that led each of their killings. Gary Ridgway began his killing spree in January of 1982 with 16 year old victim Leann Wilcox. (Newton) His second victim was a 36 year old female named Amina Agisheff. His first two victims were not recognized as â€Å"Green River Killer† victims until two years after their deaths due to lack of patterns tying these murders and the Green River Killer’s later murders together. Ridgway continued to kill with victims multiplying by the week. All of Ridgway’s victims had one thing in common; they were all thought to be prostitutes. The Green River Killer always did one thing the same in each of his murders; before he killed each victim he had sex with them. In some of the victims he went as far as placing a triangle shaped stone inside the vagina of the victim, the significance of this is unknown. Newton) Gary Ridgway carries the trait theory with a psychological sub theory. There is no evidence as to his past family life to prove that he could also carry a biological sub theory but the way in which he killed each of his 48 victims proves that his desire to kill was based upon sexual desires. (Schechter) Our society could protect a gainst another serial rapist-killer like Ridgway by technological advances and obtaining DNA samples from each victim. Ted Bundy was born in November 1946 at a house for unwed mothers in Vermont. He never knew his father and was forced to live with his strict Methodist grandparents pretending that his mother, Louise Cowell, was in fact his sister. He described his grandfather Sam as a loving man who in reality was a â€Å"bitter racist and wife beater, who also enjoyed kicking dogs and swinging cats through the air by their tails† (Newton, 24). These intimate details of Bundy’s childhood prove to society that he carries a trait theory with a sub theory of a biological problem. He also carried a psychological sub theory proved by each of his victims having shoulder length brown hair parted down the middle. Ted was a good looking man with a â€Å"chameleon-like ability to blend† which gave each of his victims a sense of security when they were with him. (Newton, 24) With the beginning of Bundy’s murders was Linda Healy, a blood stained night gown was found hanging in her basement but was gone without a trace. His killings continued one by one with each victim looking eerily similar to an ex girlfriend of his who had shoulder length brown hair, parted down the middle who had broken up with him for having no ambitions in life and being immature. With each victim he first raped them then proceeded to murder them with savage blows to the head. He was sought by police multiple times but deemed â€Å"squeaky clean† by authorities since they were looking for a savage killer not a clean cut law student. (Newton, 25) It took months and multiple escapes by Bundy for police to finally charge him with the murders of two Florida sorority girls and a female in Colorado. It was after he was charged with these murders and punished to death by the electric chair that he confessed to up to 40 murders. Some say that he took more murders to his grave having the ability to have killed closer to 100 victims. Our society can prevent another rapist-serial killer like Bundy from taking the lives of innocent females by keeping better DNA records and evidence from each known victim in order to compare it to future victims. Although this may not prevent all murders from occurring it may help keep the number of victims to a minimum. Ted Bundy and Gary Ridgway are similar in the fact that both serial killers murdered for sexual desires. They both grew up in unfit homes proving their sub theories of biological problems but different from Ridgway, Bundy also carried the sub theory of psychological due to his choice of victims being mirror images of his ex girlfriend. Both Bundy and Ridgway killed females and had sex with them before they murdered them. Ridgway chose prostitutes as his victims and used similar dumping grounds around the Green River for each victim despite police surveillance of the areas. Bundy also used similar dumping grounds in each of the states he committed murders mostly dumping them in wooded areas covering them with brush. The way in which each serial killer was raised proves that this had a large affect on the people and serial killers they became. Charles Manson was born in 1934 to 16 year old prostitute Kathleen Maddox and took the name Manson from a man she later married. By the time Manson was five years old he had been sent to live with his strictly religious aunt and husband. Her husband however, treated Manson as if he were a â€Å"sissy† dressing him up in girl clothes on the first day of school to show him to act more like a man. (Newton, 149) After paroled Kathleen gained custody of Charles but was still deemed unfit after leaving Manson with neighbors for â€Å"an hour† and disappearing for days on end. Manson was then sent to Gibault School for Boys in Terre Haute, Indiana for ten months before fleeing. He wound up living on the streets having numerous bouts with the law being in and out of juvenile centers being abused by both guards and older boys at each center. After being jailed multiple times for petty crimes Manson finally stepped it up and called himself a follower of Scientology. In San Francisco Manson gained a group of male and female followers who were impressed by his charisma. He led them to believe he was a Christ incarnate, or as he liked to call it â€Å"God of Fuck† (Newton, 150). These followers grew into what Manson called his â€Å"family† and traveled up and down California gaining more followers along the way topping off at 50 followers at their peak. Newton) Manson grew largely obsessed with death and certain songs pertaining to death like the popular Beatle’s song at the time, â€Å"Helter Skelter†. He defined this song to be speaking about a race war to come in America and used these terms at his â€Å"families† future crime scenes. While Manson may not have committed any of the murders himself, it is known he was at some of the crime scenes and behind all of the murders through his c ult-like leadership. Even after Manson was jailed for these numerous crimes the violent murders did not stop. He had impacted too many â€Å"family† members already and so they carried on what Manson had previously began brutally killing more and more victims. These actions prove to society that Manson had the trait theory with both sub theories of psychological and biological problems. The biological problem is proved by his treatment as a child being born into an unfit home to a prostitute mother who brought home lovers of both sexes, being treated unfairly by his uncle, and his abuse within different juvenile detention centers whether it was sexual abuse or simply physical abuse. The psychological problem within Manson is proved by his desire to manipulate young, out of touch males and females into thinking he is a God-like figure and do everything he says. Even if what he said meant killing innocent victims. To this day Manson has showed no remorse for his actions and very few of his â€Å"family† members still in jail for these crimes have either. â€Å"Learning theorists view a troubled home life and deviant friends as a precursor of criminality; structural theorists maintain that acquiring deviant cultural values leads to criminality† (Siegel, 258). Manson portrayed both troubled home life and deviant cultural values, deeming him to inevitably become a criminal. Many other serial killers in history dealt with both of these social and personal problems making it more difficult for society to have in any way prevented these occurrences from happening. Sure authorities may have been able to lessen the magnitude of these horrific crimes, but inevitably it is within one’s own desire to become a criminal or become a model citizen of society. How to cite Serial Killers, Papers