Differences between Serial Killers and Mass Murderers

Differences between Serial Killers and Mass Murderers

 Murders in society are a fairly common occurrence. They tend to capture the imaginations of individuals because of their gruesomeness and the fact that they are a deviant activity. In their extreme, murders occur in the form of serial and mass killings. These two forms of deaths are even more captivating to society, often because of the large number of victims involved and the fact that they represent some of the greatest fears of human beings. In this paper, an evaluation of the phenomena of mass and serial murders will occur, as well as the theoretical motivations for the behavior.

Differences between Serial Killers and Mass Murderers

Conceptual differences exist between serial killers and mass murderers. One of the major differences between the two is that serial killers often undertake their activity over a long period (Layton, 2005). Layton (2005) also adds that, in most instances, sexual desires and fetishes are the primary motivations for serial killers. On the contrary, mass murderers conduct their crimes over a shorter period, when compared to serial killers. Joseph Ferguson, a mass murderer in the U.S., did his crimes over 24 hours. On the contrary, Zdzislaw Marchwicki nicknamed the “Vampire of Silesia,” a serial killer in Poland, committed the crime over an estimated period between the 1950s and 1970s, in which he killed at least twenty-one women.

Another conceptual difference is the suspect’s intent after the occurrence of the incident. For mass killers, the motivation is not to evade justice: Layton (2005) argues that most of them want to die after having committed the felony. The acts of Ferguson illustrate this outcome. Ferguson went on his killing rampage for over 24 hours; yet, he eventually killed himself when the police had almost caught up him. Contrarily, serial killers never have the intention of facing justice for their crimes. Instead, they intend to continue committing their crimes for as long as possible. As an illustration, investigators were only able to link Marchiwicki to the various serial murders he is suspected of having committed, only after he was arrested.

Layton (2005) adds that unlike serial killers, mass murderers often come from relatively stable families. Further, they tend to have a rather conventional outlook in life. Nonetheless, an ideological viewpoint is what drives the actions of mass murderers. Layton (2005) adds that internal problems — psychological — serve as the trigger for their acts. For instance, Mark Essex, a black mass murderer in the U.S, was motivated to commit the crime following what he perceived as racial discrimination from white individuals (Layton, 2005). However, it is worth noting that while the narratives they hold onto have social connotations, their acts only end up serving their personal rather than societal motives.

Nevertheless, one of the thematic areas of convergence between the two categories of criminals is that they generally do not have an existing relationship with the victims. This element contrasts with that of homicides where the victim and killer often have a relationship, either as family, colleagues, or friends. The causes for the behavior are varied; hence, numerous schools of thought have developed concerning this issue, as highlighted in the next section.

Major Theoretical Explanations for the Phenomena

Numerous theoretical explanations exist intending to explain the occurrence of multiple murders. One such theoretical disposition is the psychobiological perspective. According to Layton (2005), proponents of this school of thought argue that biological factors are responsible for the occurrence of the criminal behavior. The proponents use the notion of chromosomal combinations to justify their views. For instance, ordinarily, human beings have a pair of chromosomes, either XY or XX. However, genetic anomalies may lead to excessive chromosomal combinations such as XYY. Thus, supporters of this theoretical approach hold that individuals with the unusual combinations are highly inclined towards behavior that would lead to multiple murders. Nevertheless, Layton (2005) maintains that concrete evidence does not support such a perspective. For example, only 3% of multiple murderers have an extra Y chromosome. Further, Layton (2005) asserts that excessive chromosomes are likely to be an indicator of non-aggressive behavior rather than the aggressive mannerisms typical among serial and mass killers.

Another theoretical framework is the psychological approach. Under this perspective, insanity is held to be the most likely cause of such deviance. In making this assertion, Layton (2005) uses Donald Lunde’s argument. Lunde holds that the suspect’s insanity inclines them towards victims who have certain characters that torment the criminal. Essentially, the suspect develops a telepathic connection with the victim, even though the latter may not be aware of it. Consequently, a significant portion of the suspects tends to illustrate sexual sadism and schizophrenic tendencies. These attributes are consistent with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). This disorder makes the affected person lose empathy and sympathy; hence, they derive happiness from the pain of others.

Layton (2005) also highlights the importance of past experiences, especially in childhood, among multiple murder criminals. He holds that most of them experienced troubled childhoods in the form of mental, sexual, and physical abuse. Consequently, the events lead to a loss of identity, intimacy, and control.

Some scholars assert that a combination of psychological and biological factors serve as the trigger for the behavior. Layton (2005) uses Giannangelo’s argument to illustrate this viewpoint. Giannangelo does not contest the view that psychological elements are responsible for the deviance. However, she adds that the psychiatric problems that affect individuals also cause physiological trauma (Layton, 2005). Consequently, the combination of these two aspects increases an individual’s probability of engaging in mass murders.

Other theoretical approaches include the social perspective. Sociologists argue that the suspects may have lived through periods of social upheavals (Layton, 2005). The social turbulence may be in the form of increased divorce rates or dysfunctional families. Accordingly, the individuals become obsessed with “eroticized violence,” a factor that may is illustrated by the almost ritualistic way in which they conduct their murders. However, Layton (2005) acknowledges that because of the lack of evidence, the social perspective is still under contention.

Another conceptual framework is the feminist perspective. This approach employs a sexist viewpoint. Proponents of this school of thought assert that society is fundamentally patriarchal. Thus, multiple murderers are helping to achieve the patriarchal agenda by killing women. Nevertheless, this standpoint is not objective. Layton (2005) adopts the notions of various scholars who hold that despite a majority of the victims of multiple murderers being women, a significant portion of the perpetrators are women. Therefore, the feminist perspective does not objectify the phenomenon.

Based on Layton’s analysis, the most appropriate approach is the psychological perspective. The rationale for this view is that it is objective when compared to the other approaches. Various scholars have focused on this aspect; hence, adequate literature to link psychiatric elements to mass and serial killing exists. Additionally, sexual sadism — a psychological problem — is a common outcome of many multiple murders, especially serial killing. Accordingly, a strong link between the psychological makeup of the offenders and the criminal behavior exists.

Serial Killings and Mass Murders in the U.S

The U.S has experienced a considerable number of multiple murders. Layton (1989) offers numerous prognosis for the situation. Firstly, he asserts that cultural factors are the primary reason for the occurrence. In America, the culture of violence has been pervasive, a factor that has led to it being engraved in the collective psyche of its citizens. Layton gives examples of the Vietnam war. Hence, violence has become a normalized part of the lives of Americans. This outcome has a psychological impact on the people because it desensitizes them to events such as mass killings. Such a situation is made worse because the media romanticizes the events. Layton (1989) also adds that the persistent theme of violence creates fear among the residents, an eventuality that creates a conducive environment for multiple murderers.

Layton also holds that changes in America’s social structure are responsible for the increasing rates of multiple murders. In the period after the Second World War, the nation’s economy grew exponentially, a situation that availed significant opportunities to a large part of its population. However, after the 1960s, the country’s growth had peaked; hence, the once abundant opportunities declined. Layton (1989) speculates that this occurrence must have made it difficult for individuals to achieve their dreams. Given that the increase in multiple murders correlates with this period, Layton suggests that it must be a leading cause of the problem. This view is consistent with the social perspective, as one of the theoretical bases for the phenomenon.

Reference

Layton, E. (2005). Hunting Humans: The Rise of the Modern Multiple Murderer. New York, NY: Carroll & Graf Publishers.