Ted Bundy: The Mind of a Killer Essay -- Psychology

Ted Bundy was an American born rapist, a necrophile; a serial killer and a kidnapper who assaulted and murdered several young women during the 1970’s. The criminal kept on denying the charges for more than ten years and later confessed of having committed the thirty homicide crimes in seven different states before his execution (Rule, 2009). Bundy’s handsome and charismatic appearance made it possible for him to easily win the confidence of young women who were always his targets. He broke into the dwellings of his victims at night and bludgeoned them as they slept. He also approached young women in public places where he impersonated as an authority figure or feigned injury on his victim before empowering and assaulting at a more secluded area where he left them dead (Rule, 2009). Upon execution of his criminal acts, Bundy often visited the secondary scene of crime where he performed sexual acts with the decomposing bodies of the victims until destruction by wild animals or decomposition made further interaction with the bodies impossible. In addition to these criminal acts, Bundy decapitated heads of some of his victims and kept their heads in his residence for a period of time as mementos (Rule, 2009). The cases involving Bundy and his victims are cases of murder, rape, necrophile and kidnapping. These are capital offences that were well planned and executed by the perpetuator who made subsequent follow-ups of his criminal acts by visiting the secondary scene of crime. Description of offender’s psychological history and functioning at the time of the offence is based on statistical approach which involves the analysis of behavioural and other relevant information found at the scene of crime in order to infer ... ...ical and physical satisfaction from the acts. Understanding of psychological theories helps criminologists to design appropriate correctional strategies to mitigate crime. Works Cited Eysenck, H.J., & Gudjonsson, G.H. (1989). The causes and cures of criminality. Contemporary Psychology, 36, 575-577. Freud, S. (1961). The Complete Works of Sigmund Freud. London: Hogarth. Henry, S., & Charles, M. (1982). Social Learning Theory. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 3 (4), 55-62. Rule, A. (Ed). (2009). The Stranger Beside Me. New York: Pocket Books. Winfree, T., & Abadinsky, H. (2nd Ed.). (2003). Understanding Crime: Theory and Practice. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth publishers. Woodhams, J., & Toye, K. (2007). Empirical Tests of Assumption of Case Linkages & Offender’s profiling with Commercial Robbery. Psychology, Law & Public Policy, 13 (1), 58-84.