Wicked Deeds

Examining criminal motives and behavior

Scott A. Bonn Ph.D.

NYPD Mugshot of David Berkowitz. Aug. 11, 1977

What Are “Son of Sam” Laws?

The Son of Sam laws were passed following reports that David Berkowitz was offered money for the rights to his personal story.

RKO Publicity Photo, "King Kong" 1933

Why We Are Drawn to Monsters and Serial Killers

The curious appeal of monsters and serial killers in both fact and fiction can be explained by our own empathy.

Ted Bundy

The Unlikely Function of Serial Killers in Society

By accepting the framing of serial killers as evil, the public is given moral clarity. Such clarity can be both reassuring and comforting.

Media Depictions of Serial Killers Blur Fact and Fiction

The problem with the social construction of serial killers as evil is that it obscures the distinction between reality and fiction in the minds of the public.

Jeffrey Wayne Gorton

Not All Serial Killers Must Keep On Killing

There are serial killers who stop murdering altogether before ever being caught or killed.

Skeptical of FBI Criminal Profiling’s Validity?

At least two alternatives to the FBI profiling method have gained acceptance among criminal justice practitioners over the past few decades.

The Dysfunctional Integration of Serial Killers in Society

Serial killers typically feel disconnected both emotionally and mentally to society.

Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer, HS Yearbook at age 17

The Serial Killer as Evil Monster

The graphic serial killer image depicted in popular culture offers a pleasurable mix of excitement, shock, and horror to enthusiastic fans.

Self-Promotion by Serial Killers Fuels Their Appeal

Some serial killers actively create their own diabolical public images.

Finding The First Mind Hunter

Criminal profiling has evolved as a mix of art and science.

Our Rising Suicide Rate Is Symptomatic of a Troubled Society

There are toxic social forces at work in the U.S. that can explain the sharply rising suicide rate.

Serial Killers Play a Role on the Public Stage

The social construction of the serial killer identity is symbolic and it helps to clarify the moral boundaries in society.

Understanding Hitmen Versus Serial Killers

Professional hitmen are employed to eliminate a troublesome or unwanted individual. Serial killers are something else.

Examining Serial Killer Ted Bundy

Bundy was a power/control serial killer. The primary motivation of such a killer is to dominate and humiliate his victims.

Is the Joker a Psychopath?

The diabolical Joker is self-absorbed and unable to form emotional attachments with others.

Serial Murder and Functionalism

The crimes and punishment of serial killers serve a functional purpose in society.

Understanding What Drives Serial Killers

Regardless of the specific motive(s), serial killers commit their crimes because they want to and need to.

How Serial Killers “Cool Off” Between Murders

The cooling off period is important because it distinguishes the serial killer from all other types of murderers.

Facts and Fictions About Serial Killers

The reality of serial homicide has been hidden from the public because serial killers are presented inaccurately by state officials and the news media.

The Unique Motives of Female Serial Killers

Unlike male serial killers who are often driven by sexual lust, female serial killers are much more likely to kill for profit or revenge.

Suicide

Losing a Loved One to Suicide

Most of us are unprepared for the consequences and emotions that arise when we lose a loved one to suicide.

How the FBI Profiles Serial Offenders

Profilers analyze crime scene evidence and statements from victims and witnesses in order to develop a description of an unknown offender.

The Allure of Very Bad Things

Empathy enables us to identify with the monster or killer, which makes them less scary.

Crime Facts and Fictions

One of the great myths about murder is that the number of incidents is constantly on the rise in the U.S.

Inside the Mind of Serial Killer Dennis Rader, AKA BTK

Rader fancies himself a natural born predator who is no more responsible for killing than a venomous snake or a shark.

Suicide Rates, Even Among Children, Are Rising Dramatically

There are corrosive social forces currently at work in the U.S. that can explain the sharply rising suicide rate.

Serial Murder Versus Mass Murder

Serial murder and mass murder are two very different types of crime with very different motivations and goals on the part of the perpetrator.

New York state map

What Is The Serial Killer Capital of the U.S.?

The scope and magnitude of New York City make it an attractive hunting ground for a serial killer who desires public recognition for his crimes.

The Media and Police Promote Fake News about Murder

Much of the public’s knowledge about homicide is a product of stylized and stereotypical depictions of such events in the news and entertainment media.

Evil Is Not a Universal Truth

The concept of evil is man-made and defined by a specific time and culture.

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