Since we can remember serial killers have been a popular topic in today’s world, dating back all the way to the 1400’s. A simple definition for a serial killer is person who murders usually three or more people with a "cooling off" period between each murder and whose main intention for killing is mainly for their personal gratification. Many think that they suffer from a disorder called Antisocial Personality Disorder. They are usually not psychotic, and therefore may appear to be quite normal and even charming, a state of adaptation which some people call a "mask of sanity."
In the last three decades the USA has been troubled by an approaching problem, the serial killer. Throughout the last three decades the US serial killer rate has risen 94% and it is estimated that by the next millennium it will claim an average of 11 lives a day. Serial Murder is an epidemic. There are at least 35 serial killers active in the USA today who claim one third of the annual murder rate. The USA has 76% of the world’s serial killers. Not only are serial killers appearing in more numbers in the US but also all over the world countries are terrorized by serial killers, which are appearing in more numbers year and year after (www.Wikipedia.com).
One question that we often ask ourselves is what makes a serial killer? How can a normal human being turn into a cold-blooded killer? Some say that your born with the mentality that killing is okay but others believe that our violence filled society plays a big part too. There is violence in 80% of primetime shows and cartoons show about 18 acts of violence per hour. By the time the average child will have reached the age of 18, he/she would have viewed more than 16,000 television murders (“What makes a Serial Killer”). We are also born with the predisposition to be a serial killer. This means that we have the ability to be a serial killer but our environment can help us think otherwise.
While the previous analysis...