Summary of "What Makes a Serial Killer"

In the essay, “What Makes a Serial Killer” by La Donna Beaty, she discusses the many different theories surrounding what may possibly cause the transformation from a nice, young adult to a crazy, psychopathic, serial killer. She explains the different theories including some information from sources to back the theories she explains.

The first few theories are focused on society’s cultural norms and the home situation concluding, killers are formed from abusive and violent-loving families. One theory states that our violent culture is producing murderers, and televisions shows are putting a good amount of that into our lives (Beatty 2). Television shows are rank with violence and are only making viewers numb to death and destruction. When concentrating on the home life, according to Beatty, “another theory concentrates on the family atmosphere into which the serial killer is born” (Beatty 3). Children who don’t have the chance to have proper relationships with their parents or are seemingly not loved are quite more likely to be a serial killer than a child who is nurtured and loved an appropriate amount (Beatty 3).

While some believe that serial killers are morphed from an abusive, violent-loving family, still others, based on the same studies, think killers derive from a completely different type of family: the child is rejected, but only after being a threatening child taking rebellion to ultimate extremes (Beatty 3). This study also tries to dispute the claim that media has something to do with influencing and morphing a serial killer. Beatty backs this by saying, “since most children view similar amounts of violence, the argument goes, a responsible child filters what he sees and will not resort to criminal activity no matter how acceptable it seems to be” (Beatty 4).

Some believe that the amount of serial killings is directly linked to the downfall in the mental healthcare system (Beatty 4). Beatty goes on to say that our system is lacking still, even though it needed much reform in the first place because it is nearly impossible to hospitalize the mentally ill against their will (Beatty 4). According to Beatty, “even if a patient is thought to be dangerous, he or she cannot be held longer than ninety days unless it can be proved that the patient actually committed dangerous acts while in the hospital” (Beatty 5). That means that if a person is on their best behavior for ninety days, after their time is up, they can go on a killing spree if they wanted to.

Beatty continues her essay by touching on the fact that “studies have given increasing consideration to the genetic makeup of serial killers” (Beatty 5) suggesting that serial killers may also have certain abnormalities in their brain functions that can be traced to the acts of killing. However, Beatty concludes her essay by emphasizing a common trait researchers see in serial killers: “the heavy use of alcohol” (Beatty 6). She states, “while alcohol was once thought o alleviate anxiety and depression, we now know that it can aggravate and intensify such moods, which may lead to irrational feelings of powerlessness that are brought under control only when the killer proves he has the ultimate power to control life and death” ( Beatty 7).