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Recognizing the Mental Disorders that Power Serial
Killers: Psychopathy, Perversion, and Lust Homicide.
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| Article Type: | Book review |
| Subject: | Books (Book reviews) |
| Author: | Dobbert, Duane L. |
| Pub Date: | 12/22/2009 |
| Publication: | Name: The Forensic Examiner Publisher: American College of Forensic Examiners Audience: Professional Format: Magazine/Journal Subject: Health; Law; Science and technology Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 American College of Forensic Examiners ISSN: 1084-5569 |
| Issue: | Date: Winter, 2009 Source Volume: 18 Source Issue: 4 |
| Topic: | NamedWork: Psychopathy, Perversion, and Lust Homicide: Recognizing the Mental Disorders That Power Serial Killers (Nonfiction work) |
| Persons: | Reviewee: Dobbert, Duane L. |
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| Accession Number: | 215306209 |
| Full Text: |
Recognizing the Mental Disorders that Power Serial Killers:
Psychopathy, Perversion, and Lust Homicide [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dobbert's book discusses in detail some of the most famous serial killer cases and the mental disorders and sexual paraphilia that fueled their actions. This work focuses on those who have committed premeditated multiple murders over a period of time and were motivated by intense sexual desire. Sexual paraphilia disorders apply when someone is recurrently and consistently aroused by a specific type of stimulus; the person cannot be aroused without this stimulus. They are also cognizant of their behavior--it is not a product of mental illness. Each criterion on the psychopathy checklist has behavioral manifestations that are readily observable. Of the 22 serial killers discussed in the book, 18 exhibit behavior symptomatic of antisocial personality disorder (or psychopathy). Most of them also had one or more sexual paraphilia or disorders. Dobbert uses H.H. Holmes as one example. Holmes confessed to 27 murders around 1893 and was implicated in nearly 200 murders. Ed Gein was the basis for the titular character in Psycho and the Buffalo Bill villain in The Silence of the Lambs. Aileen Wuornos is the only female serial killer discussed. Female offenders are a rarity, almost an oxymoron. However, Wuornos was was never sexually aroused by her murders, so she doesn't exactly fit the profiles of these other serial killers. Wuornos's troubled youth and emotional impairment led to sexual promiscuity, prostitution, a failed suicide attempt, and criminal record of fraud and robbery. She was responsible for six killings beginning in 1989, claiming they were clients who tried to rape and kill her. The patterns of Dobbert's book follow a sound investigative pattern: definitions create a solid foundation for the initial discussion, then specific cases are included that exhibit these ideas. Dobbert includes numerous cases and only discusses them briefly in a few pages (much like shorter articles), and then he concludes with a very brief summary to tie everything together. The result is a fascinating and informative read for both the forensic and investigative professional as well as the layperson interested in behavior and crime. There is always a pattern. The psychopathy allows them to do whatever they please without thoughts of consequence or empathy, and the sexual pathology is the motivation towards their modus operandi to fulfill their twisted psychological needs. Recognizing this pattern and knowing the signs will help stop these individuals before they commit their first lust-driven homicide. |
| Gale Copyright: | Copyright 2009 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. |