AMERICAN CRIMINAL MINDS OF THE 20TH CENTURY

 Diseases that affect the human brain, and the family problems can make a human become a monster.

STRUCTURE Introduction 1. Monsters or Victims? 2. Studying the Serial Killer Brain 2.1. Antisocial Personality Disorder vs. Psychopathy 2.2. Organized vs. Disorganized Killers 2.3. The Holmes and Holmes Serial Murder Typology 3. Joe Ball - "The Alligator Man" 4. Joseph Christopher: "The Midtown Slasher" 5. Donald Henry Gaskins: "The Meanest Man in America" Conclusion Bibliography

FIRST CHAPTER: MONSTERS OR VICTIMS?  Serial killer has difficulty in actually processing, understanding and using emotional material  Androgens (hormones), may have a direct influence on physiological mechanisms governing behavior or organize the developing human brain to make particular behavioral responses more likely

SECOND CHAPTER: STUDYING THE SERIAL KILLER BRAIN

ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER VS. PSYCHOPATHY  People with personality disorder: - have a long history of arrests - are often involved in physical fights - act impulsively  Psychopathy - a severe form of personality disorder  Psychopaths: have the antisocial behaviors mentioned have additional traits such as lack of remorse or guilt for their actions.

ORGANIZED VS. DISORGANIZED KILLERS  Organized killer - leading an orderly life, high intelligence, socially competent, and more likely than the disorganized killer to have skilled employment.  Disorganized killer - reflecting an overall sense of disorder and suggests little, preplanning of the murder,socially incompetent and have below- average intelligence.

THE HOLMES AND HOLMES SERIAL MURDER TYPOLOGY

 Visionary - kills because 'commanded' to do so by voices or visions  Mission-Oriented - The murderer has a goal (to rid world of certain type of person)  Hedonistic - kills for pleasure  Power/Control Oriented - the criminal act is based on the desire to show total control over other human being

THE THIRD CHAPTER: JOE BALL - "THE ALLIGATOR MAN"  Serial killer from Texas  Murdered 20 women during 1930s  Had a saloon named Sociable Inn where he kept five alligators  Joe killed himself after he was exposed

THE FOURTH CHAPTER: JOSEPH CHRISTOPHER: "THE MIDTOWN SLASHER"  Racist from 1980s  Killed 30 black people in 4 months with a 22 caliber gun  Was convicted to 60 years of prison in 1985

THE FIFTEEN CHAPTER: DONALD HENRY GASKINS: "THE MEANEST MAN IN AMERICA  A killer from South Carolina  Brutal, detached, pedophile, cannibal, and psychopath.  He killed both family members, close friends and strangers  He confessed to over 181 murders  Was executed on September 6, 1991, at 1:10AM.  Was the fourth person to die in the electric chair after the death penalty was reinstated in South Carolina

CONCLUSION  In the end, all we can conclude is that serial killers are human black holes. Killing others is not an attempt to fill the void, but to spread the void. They are an embodiment of the darkness, desire, and power that we must repress within ourselves

BIBLIOGRAPHY  Douglas, John. The Mind hunte. New York: Pocket Books August 1, 1996 Print  Marquis, de Sade. Justine, Philosophy in the Bedroom, and Other Writings. New York: Grove Press January 11, 1990 Print  Osterburg, James and Ward, Richard. Criminal Investigation ed.6, New York: Anderson Publishing April 21, Print