Jack The Ripper: What Is A Serial Killer?

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Discussions about what constitutes as evil has lead individuals worldwide to raise the question of what is a serial killer. The concept of serial killers, or psychopaths, originated in the early nineteenth century with a man that the world has come to know as Jack the Ripper. This man is considered to be the first definitive serial killer who was recognized for his disturbing murderous pattern. Though his crimes were committed over a century ago, the legend of Jack the Ripper still captures attention to this day. The torment and violence suffered by the women whom he murdered and the fact that he was never caught, is what keeps the legend of Jack the Ripper and the publics interest of serial killers alive to this day. In the recent decades, researchers have been able to conduct in depth studies that strive to identify the psychopathic serial killer. Even with the numerous studies on this intriguing topic, the question of what is a psychopathic serial killer and what makes them kill, is still tremendously prevalent in our worldwide society. There are a handful of theories that can be linked to biological, behavioral, and psychological factors that may lead to…show more content…
Ressler in an attempt to label those who have committed multiple murders over a period of time. In Richard Whittington-Egan’s contemporary review, “The Serial Killer Phenomenon”, he emphasized that most serial killers are defined as white males who are between the ages of 18 and 35, and that their sexual orientation is usually heterosexual.There have, of course, been some exceptions to this general description such as Jeffery Dahmer and William Bonin who were homosexual, and a small number of female serial killers. The most basic distinction between the psychopathic from the ordinary criminal is due to their lack of guilt. They also fail to have any definable reason for why they have or want to commit these murderous

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