"Serial killers are the cream of the crop - they stay on the street for years. Some never get apprehended at all" (Egger, 1986). Serial killers do things that the rest of society finds deplorable. They murder with incredible depravity, with no outward show of remorse, and evade capture for frighteningly long periods of time. Most members of society ask themselves how someone could be capable of such actions. It is incomprehensible to most people what it is that could drive someone to murder another in the manner of a serial killer. Most people can understand murder in the heat of the moment, even if they find it unacceptable. It is incredibly difficult for the average person to conceive of the type of personality that can kill a stranger simply for the thrill of it. Yet this is what the serial killer lives for - that one moment of perfection when he controls every aspect of the life of another human being. Who is a serial killer, and what contributes to the development of this type of personality? This question has been the focus of intense research by numerous law enforce

of killer will select a group of people to kill off (prostitutes, for example). The Thrill

These behaviours combine and continue to worsen as the child matures. Without early psychological intervention, the possibility of a child reared under these circumstances becoming a murderer, and specifically a serial killer, increase dramatically (Holmes, 1989). Unfortunately there is not a perfect solution for stopping serial killers, even with such accurate indicators during childhood. Study of previously convicted serial killers has certainly been an aid in understanding the motivations behind behaviours, however it is not conducive to stopping serial killers before they commit their crimes. Knowing the indicators of a possible serial killer type of personality

serial killers a good reference point for the study of future ones. This research has been borne out by the research conducted by Keppel and Birnes (1997) in which 36 convicted serial killers were interviewed regarding their childhood experiences.

ment agencies and the psychological community for approximately fifteen years.

A common misconception among the public is that there is only one type of serial killer, when there actually are four distinctive types (Dehart & Mahoney, 1994). The Visionary Motive Type is generally considered insane. A visionary killer will often hear voices in his head telling him to commit the crime. The Missionary-Oriented Motive Type displays no psychosis to the outside world, but on the inside this killer has a need to rid the world of what he considers immoral or unworthy individuals. This type

the way that most people need water; it is an absolute need. Generally this need to kill is fueled by fantasies that have been building for a long period of time. They personalize their murders in the manner of death they choose for the victim; very hands on, as in stabbing or strangulation as opposed to killing with a gun, which is seen as a rather distant method. They are sane, plan to avoid detection, and generally seek to control others through their crimes. Power is a central motivator to the serial murderer. The profile of a serial killer as set out by McKenzie (1995) closely follows profiles currently in use by major crime units across North America, and is as follows:

First, clarification is necessary as to what it means to be classified as a serial killer. There are several key distinctions between spree killers, mass murderers, and serial killers. These distinctions are what makes serial homicide unique among all forms of murder. One very recent and highly publicized example of a spree killer was Andrew Cunanan. His murders were committed in a frenzy that suddenly erupted and then ended in his own violent death. The is typical of the spree killer. The crimes are committed in a s

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Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)