Quotation Blog #4

Serial Killers and Mass Murderers by Niguel Cawthorne

 

 I liked this quote because I think it is a very valid statement but it does not make sense in every killer's profile. Some killers blend into society, and when they get caught, their neighbors, friends and spouses even children in some cases, are shocked. Seemingly "normal" people can sometimes have the deepest, darkest secrets.

 

"Emanuel Tanay, a professor of psychiatry at Wayne State University, pointed out that murder is not the crime of criminals, but that of ordinary citizens" (Cawthorne 4).

 

 In my years of research into the topic of true crime and serial killers, I have found many convicted killers grew up committed petty crimes and then escalated to more severe crimes, then to murder. A lot of them start as troubled children who may assault peers, steal things and just behave delinquently. Some may have sexual misconduct or stalking charges as well. Then they become more bold with age and their crimes worsen. A good example of this is Charles Manson. In my book, I learned he committed multiple armed robberies in his youth and then progressed to prositituting a sixteen year old girl and other crimes. He was a troubled youth who was destined for a life of crime. But also, I can agree with this statement because there are many killers who had no criminal record before they were killed and were considered normal, ordinary people. Dennis Rader had no criminal record, was in the military and received an honorable discharge. He was married with two children and blended into society. I think the quote does have truth to it, but does not apply to all cases.