Contributions to Violence: Male Serial Killers and Social Bonds
Location
Sydnor Performance Hall
Access Type
Open Access
Start Date
4-17-2024 8:45 AM
End Date
4-17-2024 9:00 AM
College
Lynchburg College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Criminology
Keywords
social bonds, serial killers, violence
Abstract
This research analyzes the often-questioned contributions to violence of male serial killers. The sole purpose of this research is to conclude whether weak social bonds and negative childhood experiences contributed to the level of violence in the futures of 15 male serial killers convicted between 1970-1980. The strength of their social bonds, measured by the amount of weak social bonds exhibited or experienced in childhood, and the level of violence were used as variables in this research. Their weak social bonds were measured in the aspects of child abuse or neglect experienced in the home, drug or alcohol abuse in the home, antisocial behavior, animal cruelty, and first offenses if they occurred, as well as the age at the time of their first offense. Their murder methods were measured and categorized as more violent and less violent. More violent murder methods were recognized as more intimate acts of violence, and less violent murder methods were recognized as less intimate acts of violence. Their weak social bond factors that applied were then tallied up and compared to the level of violence portrayed by each of the 15 serial killers. This concluded that over half of the male serial killers that had higher levels of violence experienced many of the weak social bond factors measured and presented that there is a correlation present between weak social bond factors of these serial killers’ childhoods and the higher levels of violence that many portrayed in their futures.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Joseph Hoft
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Contributions to Violence: Male Serial Killers and Social Bonds
Sydnor Performance Hall
This research analyzes the often-questioned contributions to violence of male serial killers. The sole purpose of this research is to conclude whether weak social bonds and negative childhood experiences contributed to the level of violence in the futures of 15 male serial killers convicted between 1970-1980. The strength of their social bonds, measured by the amount of weak social bonds exhibited or experienced in childhood, and the level of violence were used as variables in this research. Their weak social bonds were measured in the aspects of child abuse or neglect experienced in the home, drug or alcohol abuse in the home, antisocial behavior, animal cruelty, and first offenses if they occurred, as well as the age at the time of their first offense. Their murder methods were measured and categorized as more violent and less violent. More violent murder methods were recognized as more intimate acts of violence, and less violent murder methods were recognized as less intimate acts of violence. Their weak social bond factors that applied were then tallied up and compared to the level of violence portrayed by each of the 15 serial killers. This concluded that over half of the male serial killers that had higher levels of violence experienced many of the weak social bond factors measured and presented that there is a correlation present between weak social bond factors of these serial killers’ childhoods and the higher levels of violence that many portrayed in their futures.