¶ … Media's Role in the BTK Killer Case
There have been several serial murder cases which feature killers who play with the attention of the public through their manipulation of the media for various reasons. However, with the actual publication of messages supposedly from mass murderers, the ethical role of the media is put to the test. Many believe that publishing these messages increases the chances of catching the murderer in question; but in the case of the BTK Killer in Wichita Kansas, the publication of such messages by a local newspaper The Eagle provided little information to law enforcement officials and an arrest was made decades after the onslaught of the murders. Examples such as these show how publishing such communications may in fact be too much information for the public to handle and at the same time just continues to encourage the killer to commit more and more violent crimes. This specific case shows that the media's role in such events is sometimes just as hindering, if not more so, than it is helpful with the actual investigation.
The case of the BTK killer in Wichita Kansas is one of gruesome murders and little success from law enforcement until thirty years after the first murder was committed. Over the span of eight years the BTK killer is known to have tortured and murdered at least eight people. From 1974 to 1986, the killer committed murders within the Wichita Kansas area. About ten months after the occurrence of the very first murder, the killer was sending material to the local press as well as to the authorities. He had used several different media facets in order to give himself a sick and twisted publicity. However, he focused mainly on dealing with the editor and publisher of the local paper, The Eagle. His first letter to the paper was a confession to killing an entire family, (Maher, 2005). Two decades after the letters stopped, the paper received one again in 2004. Also sent...
Serial Killers have long fascinated the general public, not only because their crimes are so heinous, but also because they embody the extremes to which psychological disorders can take a person. In the name of psychological insight, the lives of serial killers are dissected down to the most minute detail in the hopes of understanding what factors contribute to making a 'monster'. The Crime Classification Manual defines serial murder as
Serial killers are not common, but they are fascinating because of the need to understand the phenomenon. There is no one definition of a serial killer, but there are some defining characteristics that set them apart from other murderers. Serial killers present serious issues for law enforcement, due to the tendency for serial killers to blend in easily and appear "normal." There is no one exact definition of a serial killer, from a
Currently the DSM-IV refers to both these as antisocial personality disorder with the following criteria: A. Pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, occurring since age 15 as indicated by at least three of the following: 1. Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behavior. 2. Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or
A lot of the serial killers recognize that killing these people are wrong, this is true because when they are finished with their crime, they find some kind of way to dispose of the body. Conclusion In the end, it is a scary fact is that the United Sates is the most leading serial killing country in the entire world. It appears that no other country can even match the U.S.
Serial killers have struck fear in the hearts of people, yet the public remains fascinated and intrigued by the crimes perpetrated by these individuals. There are several theories and factors that have been attributed to serial killers in an attempt to explain their behaviors. Furthermore, by identifying the behaviors that are exhibited by serial killers, law enforcement professionals are able to gather information about these serial killers that will assist
Serial Killer Social Construction Theories A serial killer can be defined as a person who kills more than four victims in a moderately short period of time usually 72 hours (Larson, 2011). Serial killings usually take place in different locations and have no connection with the preceding assassination. For a serial killer, substantial gain is not the drive for killing his victim. Instead, it is his craving of power and strength
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