Katherine Ramsland

Inside the Minds of Serial Killers (eBook, PDF)

Why They Kill

• Format: PDF

Produktbeschreibung

There are many cultural myths about serial killers, often propagated even by mental health professionals. Many assume there is a profile of a serial killer, that serial killers always go for the same victim type or always use the same MO, that they are more clever than ordinary people, and that they are inevitably charming and attractive. The truth is not as simple as that. There are different types of serial killers, and while there are many books that discuss the serial killer phenomenon especially in relationship to victim types or context, researchers have not yet been able to come up with a definition, or type, that covers the broad spectrum of serial killers and their complex psychological dynamics. Ramsland looks at the variety of serial killer types, illustrating that it is difficult to accurately depict these elusive, intriguing, and dangerous killers.

There are many cultural myths about serial killers, often propagated even by mental health professionals. Many assume there is a profile of a serial killer, that serial killers always go for the same victim type or always use the same MO, that they are more clever than ordinary people, and that they are inevitably charming and attractive. The truth is not as simple as that. There are different types of serial killers and while there are many books that discuss the serial killer phenomenon especially in relationship to victim types or context, researchers have not yet been able to come up with a definition, or type, that covers the broad spectrum of serial killers and their complex psychological dynamics. Ramsland looks at serial killer types, illustrating that it is difficult to accurately depict these elusive, intriguing, and dangerous killers.

This book examines a variety of serial killers, from sexual predators to psychotic killers, from murder teams to odd eccentric stalkers, in order to present the distinct psychological dynamics that set serial killers apart from other violent murderers. Among the motives addressed are lust, control, glory, profit, thrill, delusions, rage, the desire for company, the need to please a partner, and even murder as an intellectual exercise. Serial killers live double lives, hiding their violence even from those who live with them, so along with a study of motives are chapters devoted to how close associates have described killers, including parents, siblings, co-workers, lovers, and survivors. There is no profile of a serial killer, and this book establishes that in vivid and frightening detail.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Bloomsbury Publishing Inc
• Seitenzahl: 216
• Altersempfehlung: ab 7 Jahre
• Erscheinungstermin: 30. August 2006
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9780313081781
• Artikelnr.: 68528208

Autorenporträt

Katherine Ramsland is the author of more than 20 books including Inside the Minds of Mass Murderers (Praeger), Inside the Minds of Serial Killers (Praeger), The Criminal Mind, The Forensic Science of CSI, and others. She currently teaches forensic psychology at DeSales University in Pennsylvania. She is a regular feature writer for Court TV's Crime Library and has written more than three hundred articles about serial killers, forensic psychology, and forensic science.

Inhaltsangabe

Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Jack the Ripper and the History of Serial
Murder 2 Lust 3 Omnipotence 4 Intellectual Exercise 5 Glory 6 Delusions 7
Rage 8 Profit 9 Blood and Bodies 10 Living with Death 11 No Particular
Purpose 12 Early Aspirations 13 Related by Blood 14 Matches Made in Hell 15
"Care" takers 16 Close to a Killer 17 Behind the Eyes Appendix: How They're
Caught Bibliography Index