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A Comparison Between Ted Bundy And Jeffrey Dahmer

America was plagued with mass-murderers and tragedies between the 1970s & 1990s. The country was exposed to heartless and horrible people such as Charles Manson, Richard Ramirez (Zodiac Killer), John Wayne Gacy, and Richard Ramirez. Although they are quite different, I was able to see many similarities in Ted Bundy’s and Jeffrey Dahmer’s murderers.

Jeffrey Dahmer, a cannibal, kept and ate different parts of the victims. Between 1978 and 1981, he murdered 17 teenage men and boys. His later murders were often linked to necrophilia.

Ted Bundy was a law-student who raped and killed more than 35 women across Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Utah, and Washington. Bundy spent three decades living in Philadelphia at the home of Samuel Cowell and Eleanor Cowell. He was raised by them to avoid any stigmas that would have accompanied Bundy’s true mother’s pregnancy outside of wedlock.

Despite what appeared perfect from the outside, it was quite the opposite inside. Bundy recalls Samuel, Bundy’s grandfather, as being violent and belligerent. Friends and family described Eleanor as timid and submissive, while his grandfather Samuel was violent and belligerent. For depression, she was often subject to electroconvulsive treatment. At a young age, Bundy showed alarming signs. Julia, his aunt, recalls Bundy smiling and waking up to find her head surrounded with knives. Dahmer learned that his “sister”, in fact, was his mother. After that, she married Johnny. They had 4 children. Ted was far from his siblings and his parents during his teenage years. He was often seen in the trash bins of others looking for magazines and photos of naked women. He was also passionate about crime fiction and reading about the cases. He was quiet throughout high school and didn’t have a lot of social interaction. Bundy went on to major in Psychology at Washington University. He was an honors student who was well respected by his professors. But he was rejected by the first woman he loved. He began killing students and local women at night. Later, he went to law school in Utah. He also continued to kill there.

Jeffrey Dahmer’s childhood was quite unusual. His parents were both very busy when he was a kid. His father attended Marquette University and majored in Chemistry, while his mother was extremely anxious. Joyce Dahmer, Dahmer’s mom, attempted suicide once by taking too much prescription medication. Dahmer had a passion for dead animals even as he was a child. His passion for science and his early cruelty towards animals led to him becoming a scientist. He was able to remove the flesh and connective tissues from dead rodents that were under his house. Lionel, his research chemist father, taught him this skill. Although he had learned these tactics early in life, he retained them enough to be able use them against his victims. In grade school, when he was still in elementary school, he gave an uncooked tadpole to the teacher. She then gave it to a different student. He was furious and set fire to the tank by pouring gasoline into it. When he was a teenager, these actions continued when he hit a dog with a stick and impaled its head in the forest behind home. These were not the only actions. He continued to act recklessly. Some believe that Dahmer may have been fascinated by dead animals from the moment he witnessed his father remove bones from his basement. Jeffrey was, according to Dahmer’s dad, “oddly excited” at the sound made by bone. Early signs of unusual interest were evident. Jeffrey was initially considered an outcast in high school. Peers recall Dahmer’s drinking habits at school. He also found this time very confusing. Dahmer was a homosexual. He was a class clown, but his peers still recognized him for it. Jeffrey’s parents split in the middle of their high school success. Jeffrey’s father Lionel, after many unsuccessful counseling sessions, left the house. Joyce Dahmer, Jeffrey’s mother, moved out of the house with her son. Jeffrey was left alone in the family home. His wildest dreams were realized and he was finally able to fulfill them. He was first hitchhiker to a male victim and things went from there.

The parents of both the gruesome murderers had suffered from mental disorders. Bundy had a depressed mother, and Dahmer was anxious. Both were serial killers who did not understand others, as it is obvious. Both were also very impressionable children. Ted grew up knowing that his father was his grandfather. Jeffrey’s experience with his father breaking bones stayed with them for all time and eventually led to something even worse. However, Bundy and Dahmer both committed suicide to obtain sexual pleasure. Dahmer said that he enjoyed the control of sexual acts and wanted to be able to control his sexual partners. Bundy stated the same thing. He enjoyed sexual arousal by killing and mutilating females. Both men were clearly psychopaths. While they looked more normal than most people, they did not hide their evil intentions. Both Bundy and Dahmer didn’t have a concept of love, I think. Bundy and Dahmer grew up without a lot tender loving care.

These men’s differences are starkly polarized in many ways. Ted and Jeffrey were able to target different “types”. Bundy had very similar looks to all of his victims. Bundy’s “type” was young blonde women with a parted middle. People believe it was because his “type” was a young woman with blonde hair and a part down the middle. However, most of Dahmer’s victims were young gay men. Dahmer was attracted to young men and desired to have sexual relations with them.

These two people were made to be killers. Others may argue that their childhoods were the catalyst. It could also be a combination. It is a matter of nurture or nature. It was a mixture of nurture and nature, I believe. This is because I have watched in-depth documentaries and researched the men. Despite having traumatic childhoods, both of them tested positive for mental disorders. Their mothers also had mental disorders so it makes sense that they would have mental disorders.

This concludes the analyzation on Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer. America was plagued for over 20 years by these two monsters. Bundy was convicted and sentenced to the death Penalty. He was executed by an electric chair in 1989. The same charges were brought against Dahmer. He was sentenced for life imprisonment, but was then brutally killed by an insider in 1994. These men were discovered by researchers.

An Overview Of Strain Theory By Robert K. Merton

Merton’s Strain Theory, which is generally found in sociology as well as criminology, states that society places certain pressures, known collectively, on individuals to achieve socially acceptable goals. Even though the American dream is possible, some individuals may turn to crime to fulfill their social expectations. Everybody strives to reach their goals. However, when society’s goals are not achievable for large numbers of people, criminal activity can be an alternative way of achieving those goals. In particular, the United States has issues with wage gaps and income inequality. This makes it difficult for many Americans to feel like their quality life is not as good as they imagine. The theory may be different, but all attempts to answer the question: Can society and its demands really cause ordinary citizens not to commit crimes. Should individuals be held responsible for all crimes or is society required to reconsider its standards and take some responsibility, especially during times of mass imprisonments and miscarriages.

Society should take some responsibility for criminal behavior. Because society’s societal constructs are what causes so many people to be unhappy with the quality and standard of life they have. These underprivileged people turn to crime in order to improve their lives and increase their chances of achieving the status they desire. People turn to crime for the opportunity to get rich quick. The lure of the promise of better lives and a chance to be rich is what drives them to participate in illegal activities such as larceny and drug trafficking. To temporarily solve a problem, an individual without income would have to commit a crime. As a result, they would face harsh punishments that would reflect the severity of the crime. Nicole Rafter’s textbook describes strain theory as a concept that explains how society forces ordinary Americans into committing crimes in order to fit the lifestyle of the wealthy. The ordinary citizen is subject to these pressures as they have to face hardships and difficulties in order to live a happy life. These ideals of living a meaningful, fulfilling life are reflected in society’s expectations. They can be summarized as the American dream: A large, picket-fenced home, two cars and a great career. The middle-class is where most Americans struggle to get in and are the easiest to leave. The reason is that the labor market has high levels of competition, there is very little job availability, and systemic discrimination is prevalent in all areas of socioeconomic related to minorities. This creates a barrier to success.

Means is an important aspect of strain theory. It refers to how someone can achieve culturally-oriented goals. A person’s ability to succeed within a socioeconomic system such as the one in the United States can be determined by their means. If they cannot, they may turn to crime to achieve the cultural standard that society has imposed upon them. The root cause of high levels of crime is often defined as a lack of opportunities.

Deviance is when someone lacks the means to achieve socioeconomic success. Gangs are an example of this. Even though the methods may vary, their purpose is to use criminality as a way to reach the same success. As they try to control illegal industries that include drugs, weapons, prostitution, tensions in competition can play. Deviant subcultures develop from group frustrations and a dysfunctional system. They then take advantage of that broken system to their advantage.

Robert Agnew’s strain theories are slightly different. They focus more on social norms, rather than cultural differences and other social variables. This may impact the development of criminal behaviour. This theory focuses less on infrastructure issues, e.g. education, health etc. The most important thing is to improve your emotional and personal well-being. Jie Zhang’s is also an option.

The Suicide Strain Theory emphasizes more psychological suicides. This theory was established through examination of suicide letters from China and the United States. Individuals are affected by these strains until they believe that there is no other option but to commit suicide.

According to me, there is clear evidence that society is indeed responsible for criminal behavior among citizens who feel there is no alternative to getting to the top. While crime may lead to different destinations, it is the most dangerous route, and can have serious consequences for those who choose to take short-term pleasure. While I agree that society should bear some responsibility, the perpetrator must also be held accountable. They still have the freedom to avoid committing the crime, no mater how serious the situation. While society can shape an individual depending on their situation, level, and opportunity, ultimately the responsibility lies with the individual.

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