thesis statement serial killer essay

Serial Killer “Theodore Robert “Ted” Bundy” Essay

Introduction, mental health related criminal case analysis, recommendations.

Buddy was an American rapist, necrophile, serial killer, and kidnapper (Office of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, 2012). He was famous for assaulting and killing girls and young women during the 1970s. He confessed to have killed 30 people shortly before he was executed. This paper will analyze his character from a psychological point of view. There are several circumstances in Buddy’s case that indicate the presence of mental disorders.

Buddy’s murders were all female. He mainly targeted young women. This indicates a possibility of a mental disorder that made him to target the females only. After he had killed the young women in a secluded location, he often revisited the scene for several hours (Office of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, 2012). During these visits he executed sexual acts on the decomposing dead bodies. He performed these repeatedly heinous sexual acts on the dead bodies until they completely decompose or eaten by wild animals.

Buddy’s killings were also identified by missing heads. He completely decapitated twelve of his victims and kept their heads in his house (Menaster, 2012). The manner in which the heads were stored in his apartment signified his close attachment to the heads. Some of his killings were also done during late night hours whereby he broke into the victims’ apartments and murdered them while asleep (Office of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, 2012).

He was also reported to have physically assaulted one of his homicide victims. These are signs of a mentally ill patient. Mental disorders are usually characterized by unpredictable behaviors that cannot be controlled (Menaster, 2012). The murders performed by Buddy suggested that he was completely out of control.

The criminal conduct case against Buddy was based on the laws and the evidences presented in the case. His mental health status was not used as part of the evidences during the cases. He was treated as a normal person during the cases (Office of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, 2012).

During the criminal cases leveled against Buddy’s proceedings, there was no psychological analyst for the witnesses. Those who took part as witnesses in the cases claimed that they saw him at the various murder scenes. Other evidences that helped in building up the cases against Buddy were the bite marks and victims’ clothing remains found in his possession (Office of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, 2012).

These cases did not involve the mental issue in the proceedings. Buddy was visited by psychologists while in prison so that it could be possible to understand his actions. However the information gathered from Buddy by the psychiatrists was not used in the development of the cases against him (Office of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, 2012). As much as the psychiatrists related his problems to mental disturbances, this was not a major issue that determined the outcome of the cases.

By the time these cases were carried out, the modern understanding of mental health issues was not available. However, the realization of the criminal investigation department that Buddy was a mentally disturbed suspect complicated the investigation. The evidences tabled in the court of law were substantial in proving that he had a mental problem (Menaster, 2012).

The criminal investigation department completely ignored these facts and opted to prosecute Buddy as a mentally sane person. His mental instability was a bit mild. Furthermore, he was a relatively bright individual who had studied the law up to the university level. His arguments made it very difficult for him to be declared as a mentally unstable person.

Psychoanalysis of Buddy could have exposed his problem and the necessary help initiated to prevent further development of the problem (Menaster, 2012). Therefore, from the case leveled against Buddy, the criminal investigation department was greatly influenced by the need of involving psychoanalysis of such suspect during the trial in order to give the court an opportunity to make a more informed decision.

If the criminal investigation department could have involved mental state analysis in the cases against Buddy, they could have saved many lives that were lost due to the mental instability of Buddy. It is definite to note that the latter was suffering from a mental problem that was specifically targeting the women (Menaster, 2012). Interventions were never put in place before it could escalate to dangerous levels.

The criminal justice system and mental health have a common problem. The criminal justice is currently encountering several people with mental health problems (Centre for Mental Health, 2012). This has resulted into increased burden to the criminal justice system. The treatment of the mental patients is also less effective.

The current division between the criminal justice structures and the mental health treatment systems has worsened the state of this problem (Treatment Advocacy Center, 2011). The most effective way of handling such mental cases is by construction of partnership between the two departments (Centre for Mental Health, 2012).

The current criminal justice system has created an environment whereby mentally ill suspects have inadequate access to treatment. Such people are left completely vulnerable to their conditions (Treatment Advocacy Center, 2011). This has led into several instances of repeated crimes by such individuals.

The prison department is not well equipped to deal with such cases. In fact, the setting of the jails has high chances of allowing the problem to develop further. This trend has led into high levels of recidivism among people suffering from mental illness or disturbances.

Since these people are facing psychological challenges that require rehabilitation and treatment, then the commonality nature of the problem offers a solution. A balance between prevention of dangerous behavior and treatment of mental patients should be developed (Centre for Mental Health, 2012). The criminal justice only prevents the persons from harming the public while mental health facilities offer treatment of such people.

When such people are released back to society, they become less harmful. Giving back such people to the society without treatment predisposes them to repeating earlier crimes. Seeking solutions to these problems requires the two departments to work together. The justice system should alienate those persons from the society and then subject them to mental treatment as well as rehabilitation.

The collaboration of the two departments in the rehabilitation of these patients will result to reduced cases of such people ending up back in jail (Center for Mental Health, 2012). Persons with mental illness should therefore be provided with efficient treatment at the earliest stage as possible.

Availability of a diversion system targeting mentally unstable criminals will enable proper treatment of such patients. At the same time, these patients should be properly supervised by the criminal justice system. Subjecting such patients to the jail system may not be of great help at all.

Center for Mental Health (2012). Mental Health Treatment Requirement can address a root cause of offending behavior, says new report from Centre for Mental Health and the Criminal Justice Alliance . Web.

Menaster, M. (2012). Psychiatric Disorders Associated With Criminal Behavior. Web.

Office of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney (2012). Theodore Robert Bundy . Web.

Treatment Advocacy Center (2011). Violent behavior: One of the consequences of failing to treat individuals with severe mental illness. Web.

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• Theodore Bundy: Background Information, Motives, and Lessons Learned
• Ted Bundy, an American Serial Killer
• Ted Bundy, a Serial Killer and Psychopath
• Trait Theory: The Theodore Bundy Murders
• The Theodore “Ted” Bundy Personality Disorder Project
• Ted Bundy's Profile of a Psychopath
• The Analysis of "The Deliberate Stranger"
• Sexual Assault Case: Ted Bundy
• Triggers and Communication With Ted Bundy, a Psychopath
• Neutralization of Bundy, Manson and Arbery
• "Where Have All the Criminals Gone?" Analysis
• What to do with people who break the law
• Community and Domestic Violence; Gang Violence
• Unemployment Leads to Crime Essay
• Effectiveness of Correctional Services in Reducing Recidivism

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Glorification of Serial Killers

November 8, 2019 by Alexis August Leave a Comment

Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer; these have become household names. With the rise of true crime podcasts and popular shows like Making a Murderer and Criminal Minds there has been a rise in the interest for murder shows and pop culture has capitalized on this. After the release of “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile earlier this year, there was this romanticization of serial killers taking root. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is about Ted Bundy’s crimes from the perspective of his girlfriend who refused to believe he was capable of such things for years. The movie stars heartthrob Zac Efron who plays the infamous serial killer, Ted Bundy. By having such an attractive actor play a man who raped and murdered at least 30 women, it emphasizes this narrative that Ted Bundy was an attractive, charming man. This also created this romanticization of serial killers. On Twitter, users were comparing the attractiveness of Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. There are even fan accounts for well-known serial killers. Women become obsessed with and even attracted to serial killers to the point of professing their love in the form of letters or marriage proposals (Ted Bundy received multiple marriage proposals when he was in prison). There are psychological theories as to why people become obsessed and attracted to serial killers. Psychologists believe this fascination and attraction comes from a desire to know why they committed the murders and what led them to that place. However, this glorification and creating a legacy for them long after their deaths is harmful. This makes the surviving victims and the victims’ families have to deal with the attack over and over even though the perpetrator is long dead and has been punished for the crimes. Justice was served for them, but having to relive it is not justice. Not only is talking about these notorious serial killers hurtful for the victims, but it is also exactly what they want. Many serial killers, like mass shooters, crave the

fame and attention, they want to be infamous. Even if they die they know people will still be talking about them. That in and of itself is the major problem with glorifying and obsessing over serial killers. By creating multiple movies and TV shows and books about serial killers, we are saying we are a society that likes portraying serial killers in our pop culture. Even though the movies and TV shows and books detail the gruesome crimes and make it clear that these things are wrong, they are still talking about it–all publicity is good publicity. This is essentially showing potential serial killers and mass shooters that they too can become infamous and get movies and TV shows and books made about them.

Alexis August

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Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — Murder — Zodiac, the Mysterious Serial Killer of 1960-1970s

Zodiac, The Mysterious Serial Killer of 1960-1970s

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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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