WK3 Discussion: Explaining Serial Murder Through Theory

In the week two discussion and assignment, we learned about the typology of the

murderer in the interactive case study. The two typologies I identified were organized nonsocial

offender and hedonistic. Organized nonsocial offenders control the crime sites, the victims'

bodies are transported, and little evidence is left at the crime scene. The actions of organized

nonsocial offenders are thought to demonstrate a level of planning, preparation, and control.

Hedonistic killer's crimes are process-focused, generally taking some time to complete (Holmes

and Holmes, 2009). Hedonistic serial killers are motivated by sexual fulfillment or personal gain.

Hedonistic killers live on deviant behavior that increases and promotes sexual arousal through

violent acts and murder.

The collection of knowledge that helps us explain human behavior is often referred to as

theories of criminal behavior. These theories are often series of prepositions linking one concept

to another (Holmes and Holmes, 2009). The purpose of criminological theory is to assists in the

comprehension of crime prevention. Criminal theories cover unlawful decisions to break laws,

criminal and deviant behavior, and criminal activity patterns. One criminal theory that best

accounts for the murderer's behavior is psychological theory. Psychological theories of crime

believe that individual characteristics in thought processes are the cause of criminal behavior.

There are various psychological theories, but they all agree that a person's thoughts and

emotional states control their behavior. Many psychological theories of crime have focused on an

individual’s personality and its formation. It is believed that impulsivity, the lack of ability to

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delay gratification, and an innate aggressiveness are all components of a criminal personality

(Holmes and Holmes, 2009).

In the interactive case study, the murderer displayed an aggressive style by killing his

victims by strangulation, rape and on one of the victims, there were signs of torture. Sigmund

Freud theorizes the human psyche comprises three primary components id, ego, and superego.

The that best describes the case study murderer is id and ego. The id contains the unconscious

instinctual part of the personality and the savage impulses of the individual that center on instant

gratification. Most of these impulses lie in the area of sex and aggression (Holmes and Holmes,

2009). Some organized nonsocial offenders are socially competent and charming which is what I

believed helped him lure his victims. The ego emerges from the id, ensuring that the impulses

id can be expressed in a way that is acceptable in the real world. In many cases, the id's impulses

can be satisfied through a process of delayed gratification—the ego will eventually allow the

behavior, but only in the appropriate time and place (Cherry, 2020).

References

Cherry, K., 2020. Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego - Verywell Mind.

https://www.verywellmind.com/the-id-ego-and-superego-2795951

Holmes, R. M., & Holmes, S. T. (2009). Profiling violent crimes: An investigative

tool (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

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