Serial Killers: Societal Justice or Media-Driven Heroes?

This essay examines the controversial idea of serial killers being perceived as heroes within society. It delves into the psychological and sociological perspectives that shape this perception, particularly focusing on the influence of media glorification. The essay discusses how serial killers, driven by various motives, often select victims they deem deserving of punishment, thus positioning themselves as agents of justice. The media's role in sensationalizing and romanticizing these figures further contributes to their distorted image. The essay also explores the cycle of serial killing, from the initial act to the development of a bloodlust and the pursuit of unique methods of murder. Ultimately, the essay concludes that while serial killers commit heinous acts, their actions are sometimes framed as solutions to societal problems, leading to a complex and often unsettling acceptance within certain segments of society. The essay references films and scholarly articles to support its arguments, emphasizing the need for critical analysis of the media's portrayal of serial killers and their impact on public perception. Desklib provides access to similar essays and study resources for students.

Serial Killers as Heroes
Presenter

Introduction
• A serial killer is an individual who commits at least three
murders with breaks in between each killing.
• They are driven by different motives that make them kill
repeatedly (Aken 4).
• Their killings are organized in a way that makes it difficult
for them to be known.
• Serial killers do not kill anybody but select their victims
accordingly.

Psychological and sociological understanding
• Psychologist view serial killing behaviour in terms of interactions with
the society.
• The behaviour is a secret life that comes from the double life they lead
as seen in the movies Mr. Brooks (Papamichael, 12).
• In the movies the serial killer is a celebrated businessman and a secret
serial killer.
• Sociologists view it as deviant behaviour.
• This is deviation from the norm due to poor upbringing or early
childhood experiences as seen in the film Natural Born Killers.

Nature of serial killing today
• Serial killing has evolved with the changes in the society.
• Perpetrators have changed their ways of targeting their victims
through use of technology like internet (Barcella 3).
• This practice starts with obsession or stocking before eventual killing.
• Most of the targeted victims have issues with the society and may have
received media or legal attention.
• This makes targeting victims easy.

The cycle of serial killing
• The first killing is driven by anything like revenge.
• Once the first murder has been done, the perpetrator develops the urge
for blood that can only be solved by another killing.
• The perpetrator then chooses the nature of victims for example,
rapists, murderers or the corrupt in the society (Schlesinger 569).
• Once the urge for the second victim comes in, it becomes a cycle.
• In each other killing that follows, the perpetrator explores other
avenues of killing to make the murder unique.
• Satisfaction is achieved through the uniqueness of each murder.

Why serial killers are heroes
• Some serial killers take glorification in the media and the fact that
their killings cannot be identified (Hinson 4).
• The mystery of unsolved murders creates a cycle of killing that makes
them bay for blood.
• The media reports the serial killing news and creates a misery on the
nature of the serial killer and even who will be next victim (Hinson 4).
• The way they select their victims and how they kill them makes the
serial killer extra ordinary in the society.

• The quest for entering the serial killers mind makes the killer unique
in the society.
• The inability of the society to understand the life of a serial killers
makes them unique heroes in the society (Malizia 49).
• This is seen in the movie Perfume: The Story of a Murderer which is
the life of a serial killer.
• The society never seeks answers on why the victims were murdered
but how they were murdered.
• This means that the killing itself in glorified more by the media.
• The media reporting will concentrate more on the unrevealed identity
of the serial killer rather than the rights of the victims.

• When the perpetrator selects the victims that the society does not want
then they are solving societal problems (Culhane, Hilstad and Freng
5).
• For example in Dexter, Morgan was killing murderers, rapists and any
other unwanted in the society.
• This makes them heroes since they solve issues that the system has
failed to solve.
• Each killing therefore becomes a judgment and a way of solving
societal issues when they strike (Weist 10).
• The killings therefore create different results to the public apart from
the right of the victim.

Conclusion
• Serial killers sometimes play a larger role that makes them acceptable
in the society.
• The media plays a bigger role in framing and glorifying serial killers.
• Their quest for blood is sometimes justice for the society.
• The society also takes interest in serial killing thus encouraging killers
rather rebuking them.
• Despite their actions serial killers have their place in the society
especially if they seek justice for other victims.

References
• Aken, Chelsea van. "The Use of Criminal Profilers in the Prosecution
of." Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science 3
(2015): 3-4.
• Barcella, Laura. How Serial Killers Have Evolved Throughout History.
31 August 2018. <https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/history-of-serial-
killers-evolution-of-killers-technology>.
• Culhane, S., et al. "Self-reported psychopathology in a convicted serial
killer. Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling."
Criminal Justice Periodicals 8.1 ( 2015): 1-10.
• Hinson, Hal. "Natural Born Killers." The Washington Post 2007.

• Malizia, Nicola. "Serial Killer: The Mechanism from Imagination to
the Murder Phases." Sociology of the Mind 7.2 (2017): 44-59.
• Papamichael, Stella. Mr Brooks (2007). 2007.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2007/10/08/mr_brooks_2007_review.sht
ml>.
• Schlesinger, L. "Serial Killers and Sadistic Murderers: Up Close and
Personal." Criminal Justice Review 34.4 (2009): 560-575.
• Weist, J. B. "Serial killers as heroes in the media’s storybook of
murder." The nNw York Times, 2003