Differentiating Mass, Spree, and Serial Killers: A Typological Analysis

Abstract

Instructor’s Name Mass, serial, and spree killers are differentiated by timing and number of killings. They are capable of the worst humanity occurrence and scary crimes. Mass, serial, and spree killers are different beasts and are harder to differentiate. Mass killers are people behind large-scale killings; An example is the Columbine Massacre. It involves large crowds at one place and at one time. Spree killers do not have cooling-off times between murders. They differ from mass killers in their performance; they kill people in different locations in a short time, i.e., several days. The spree killer's mission is part of a rapidly moving act. Serial killers commit a series of murders in a prolonged time- in a decade. According to (Edelstein, 2014), scholars have different attitudes towards multiple murders, spree, serial, and mass killings, some claiming they are one concept while some believe they are whole different sub-categories. The multiple murders were often put in one category, but over the years, scholars have discovered that the killings involve different motives, states of mind, and different operations modules. The different categories must be redefined since they are different phenomena. The concept of one universal definition of multiple murders cannot stand by itself. The murder categories are confusing, especially when other terms include massacres and terrorism. Hence there should be broader and stricter definitions of the different sub-categories of murder to create distinction and avoid confusion; Psychologists have tried to understand the different causes of murder, redefining spree, mass, and serial killers. This helps in researching and understanding the different motives and causes behind killings. The constant debate on the multiple murders needs to end by distinguishing the murder typologies. Serial and mass killers display the exact characteristics of a lack of manipulation and empathy. What distinguishes the two is the timing and the numbers they kill. Mass killers display social misfits, while serial killers are psychopaths. Mass and serial killers lie in the typology of homicides. Homicides are legal, illegal shootings of a person on another. Sometimes these killers are triggered by psychological impairments and end up shooting people in a mass or unintentionally. This makes them classified in the typology of homicides. Mass murders may occur when a person is distraught and suffers a psychotic break from reality. Serial and mass killers can target specific groups for reasons that make sense to them. The typical motives are the revenge of particular groups or institutions. Serial and mass murders lie in the typology of homicides where murder is illegal or not illegal based on circumstance and psychology. Multiple murders can be explained by psychological, behavioural, or sociological thinking. Biological perspective: this theory links multiple murders with the malformations of the brain. Most criminals have brain dysfunction and can abruptly engage involatile rage that harms people...