Serial Killers

"Serial Killers" by psychologist Joel Norris is a must-read for those who pursue fresh notes on the human potential for nefariousness. This is because Norris has advanced the neurological study of episodic aggression (and is, too, an advocate for victims' rights). His book, divided into three parts, deals first with who the serial killer might be, the sequential process of their deeds, activities of notables 1961-1984, the prevalence--with its social ramifications and affect upon victims' families and law enforcement; then, the testimonials of five serial murderers; and lastly, the current challenges confronting criminologists, as well as the--heretofore mostly ignored, psychobiological etiology, and a profile of the syndrome. This volume addresses the burning query of why serial killers murder. From perusing it I've learned that being, for instance, a psychopath, paranoid schizophrenic, or pedophile, does not in and of itself, cause one to become a serial killer. Keep in mind though, that most of these killers are sexual offenders (perpetrating their murders while under the influence of alcohol or drugs). Moreover, accept that this condition is multi-faceted, or else end up with what, in his 1977 work, "Behavior and Misbehavior," criminologist Nigel Walker described as "...'the criminologist's stone'--a monolithic 'general theory' which explains all forms of crime, or even all forms of deviance..." To advance his theoretical understanding, Norris, in fact, confirms--from 260 individuals he studied, some twenty-one behavior patterns symptomatic of irregular or episodic aggressive behavior, including the ever significant stock reasons, like the killers' exposure to domestic violence, sexual abuse, feelings of powerlessness, malnutrition, etc. However, the author says serial killers--like Ted Bundy, John Gacy, Carlton Gary, Leonard Lake, Bobby Joe Long, Henry Lee Lucas and Charles Manson--have all also experienced severe injuries or traumas to the head, at birth, or later. More specifically, this entails extensive organic brain damage, or lesions, to: the limbic region (or "primitive brain," responsible for emotional states from memories of physical sensations, aggression/fear and motivation); temporal lobe (area that organizes present emotional and sensory experience with memory, and emotion connected with social function); or hypothalamus (section involved in sleep/wake process, sexual arousal and regulation of involuntary movements). Norris compares the electrobiological firing with the above intrinsic lesions to psychomotor epileptic seizures (which can also be inherited). With such brain damage primal or childhood emotions can trigger an episodic, hallucinatory/delusional, half-waking/half-dream state--the aura phase, the first of seven phases the killer embarks on during his rampage. Here he is dominated by horrific fantasies of a distorted consciousness with its ensuing paranoid rages, fears and unprincipled lust, that he can't f

The thing that puzzles me about this book is that no-one else seems to have picked up on its author's psychobiological theories, even though "Serial Killers" was published in 1988. I've read more recent books on true crime and haven't come across Norris's psychological or physical profiles of serial killers. I don't know whether this means his assertions are being ignored, or whether his work has been superceded or found to be incorrect.At any rate, it is very absorbing reading. Dr. Norris takes the reader right into the bizarre, distorted mind of a serial killer. The author should know how they think, since he is a psychologist who has worked within the American prison system and has had the opportunity to interview several serial killers face-to-face, including Theodore Bundy, Henry Lee Lucas, and Bobby Joe Long. In his preface, Dr. Norris claims to performed five hundred interviews over a period of four years (my assumption is that he interviewed the same person multiple times, as I don't think there are five hundred serial killers in prison even over a four year period). What he found was that the patterns of parental abuse, violence, neglect, childhood cognitive disabilities, and alcohol and drug abuse were virtually identical for all of the convicted killers that he interviewed.One of most important developments in the battle against serial murder was the formation of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit in Quantico, Virginia. Dr. Norris discusses several of the cases they solved, and also goes into detail about patterns of behavior they detected. For instance, serial killers are compulsive trollers, who travel over ever widening areas to locate their victims. The trolling patterns appear very early, even before they commit their first rape or murder. They also experience a biological rhythm very akin to a menstrual cycle. For some, the cycles of behavior are akin to deep brain seizures that alter perception and behavior without physically incapacitating the individual.Dr. Norris focuses about a quarter of his book on five serial killers who tell the stories of their lives and their crimes in their own words. The five are Henry Lee Lucas (sentence commuted to life in prison by then-Governor George W. Bush in June, 1999), Carlton Gary (still on Georgia's Death row), Bobby Joe Long (still on Florida's Death row), Leonard Lake (committed suicide while in custody of the San Francisco police), and Charles Manson (in San Quentin, awaiting parole).The chapter on Charles Manson is especially interesting, because the author discusses serial killers in groups, i.e. 'killing pairs' or 'families.' Almost 28% of all serial killers bond with others and commit their crimes in company. Killing pairs such as Leonard Lake and Charles Ng, the father/son team of Joseph and Michael Kallinger, the Kenneth Bianchi/Angelo Buono team of Hillside Stranglers, and the homosexual companions Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole all emerged as subjects of study in

although this is a gruesome subject, mr. norris does an excellent job with investigating the crimes and the psychological backgrounds of these individuals. unfortunately, these men have never been studied enough to determine what drives them to behave in such deviant ways. mr. norris hypothesizes about how and why these people have committed such heinous acts. his analysis is so intriguing that it is difficult to close this book. i have searched for other books written with the same focus on psychological views of these predators but nothing else comes close. most other books focus on criminology not psychology. if you find human behavior even remotely fascinating, get this book. you will not be disappointed. just don't read it right before you go to bed....ha ha ha.

I have read many books on serial killers. This book is one of the only books where the author has a firm grasp of both the psychology and criminology necessary to understand these rare beings. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a balanced viewpoint on this issue.

If you wanting answers into why serial killers kill, and or reapetedly, you need not to look any further. This book gives an insightful and explanitory look into the mind and body of the infamuos serial killer. I recomend this book to any that wants an answer to the question "Why".