Currently, a podcast called Up and Vanished has gained popularity in its quest to solve the missing persons case of Tara Grinstead. The young high school teacher and former pageant queen went missing in October of 2005 in the small town of Ocilla, Georgia. Payne Lindsay, the host, has reopened the case which led to the arrests of two potential suspects, both former students of Tara’s, involved in her death. This violent and vicious act of murder questions why people engage in criminal behavior. In general, criminal behavior originates from antisocial behavior, in which an individual “becomes dissociated from his cultural group and loses identification with it” (Fox 154). This then leads to criminal acts and further dangerous behavior. The loss of societal identification causes isolation and distancing from any form of social group or environment. Moreover, it has been controversial as to whether serial killers were born or made to kill. Serial killers, particularly strange and intriguing, have internal conflicts in which they believe killing others will solve or complete those conflicts. Their repeated acts of killing and the similarities between each kill compels the average person into curiosity, as they cannot imagine what thoughts could be running through their minds that causes them to commit these heinous acts without feeling any remorse. They even have a sense of enjoyment from their kills, which completely destroys any form of human connection. Through environment and learned behavior, serial killers are made to kill. Their experiences lead them into such cruelty, where they no longer have a sense of normality or a civilized perspective on life. 

Sociology examines serial killers through a criminological perspective rather than from a psychological standpoint. The American public is commonly fascinated by cruelty and horror as noted by authors such as Stephen King, movies such as Silence of the Lambs, and TV shows such as Dexter and Criminal Minds. Serial killing is the killing of 3 or more people previously unknown to the killer with a “cooling off” period between each murder (Haggerty 169). This definition is rather open-ended in trying to explain serial killers; however, general agreement in the field of sociology has found the argument useful. Criminology associates statistical data when discussing serial killers and are assessed through quantitative and qualitative data to make certain of the frequency of committing the crimes and why they occur. Criminologists have proposed hypotheses and theories on the biological explanation of why serial homicides occur, and they find that fear is the most significant motivator for serial killers. In spite of sociological research, little is still known about serial killers and their reasons. Doctor Samuel Yochelson’s study of criminals showed that “the criminal [is] very much in control of his deliberate behavior, and very much in touch with reality” (Pearson 70). Additionally, instead of studying sociological and psychological behavior, Yochelson turned to the thinking patterns of the criminals, which led to the discovery that criminals fall more toward irresponsibility than normal people, who have more responsible ways of thinking. The study questions the credibility and sanity of criminals and their behavior, because they act irrationally and irresponsibly to every aspect of life. 

From a sociological standpoint, Gottfredson and Hirschi's Self-Control Theory describes a potential reason for the actions committed by serial killers. The theory “suggests that crimes are committed due to a lack of self-control, which is a result of poor parenting during childhood,” and it fully develops by the age of eight (Gibbs et al. 41). The ones with poor self-control will often fail in adapting to social norms, and have a tendency to be impulsive, insensitive, risk-taking, non-verbal, and short-sighted (Gibbs et al. 42). Moreover, the theory connects self-control with childhood. Serial murderers and their environment during childhood is the foundation of their actions, which Gottfredson and Hirschi's theory confirms. Through the Self-Control Theory, the relationship between the parents and the child is the most significant connection in building the life of the child. If parents do not discipline their children for acting in a selfish or inconsiderate manner, the children will not develop a sense of general consideration and respect toward other individuals in society. Additionally, the child does not gain the proper knowledge of learning the manner in which an individual should behave in society. Children who grow up in this type of environment do not establish meaningful relationships and do not connect on any type of physical, emotional, spiritual, or sexual levels. Furthermore, most serial killers are sociopaths, which is a psychological disorder, but not all sociopaths are serial killers. Though, serial killers who are sociopaths often exhibit violent behavior early on in their lives, such as setting fires and torturing and killing animals (LaBrode 154). These acts of violence give the child a sense of control over his environment, which helps to alleviate the anxiety caused by feeling unwanted. This urge to control others never disappears for serial killers and is exhibited in their treatment of victims.

Sociologists have also studied the social positions of serial killers. Exploration into this topic gives informative ideas about the deviance and identity of a serial killer. A specific theory is the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI), which provides a thorough understanding of the identities of serial killers within the framework of society. The CTI draws attention to the identities of serial killers in society, and it further tries to identify how they manage themselves in society’s stereotype of them. When examining deviance in the CTI, sociologists often relate it to serial killers. The killers try to find just excuses for their acts, giving them a personal stigmatized identity in which they “refer to themselves as personally, psychologically, and emotionally damaged” (Henson and Olson 360). According to Henson and Olson, serial homicide often results from traumatic experiences in early childhood or adolescence, and even during military deployment (359). Furthermore, they blame a certain part of themselves for their actions without taking full responsibility because their “flaw” serves as the explanation. To further normalize their killing, they dehumanize their victims, referring to them as a plague on society (Haggerty 179). In particular, the killers tend to distance themselves from their victims, not seeing them as equals, but instead as another toy to control in order to fulfill their desires and relieve their stress and tension from their helplessness and pain. Deviance has a significant representation of identity and the interpretation of that identity. Also, social roles and memberships to certain groups are highlighted as giving meaning and prominence to people’s identity, which is developed over the course of their lifetime. The complex nature of identity is what connects the world of sociology and criminology, and the CTI forms those identities. Through communicating with people in society, individual identities are formed and created.

Though serial killers may be made to kill, many believe in the exact opposite. The nature versus nurture theory has played a role in which one study shows that 55 percent of genetic factors attributes to delinquency in males, and the remaining 45 percent accounts for nonshared environmental factors (Boisvert 296). This might show that they are made to kill; however, multiple theories show that this type of criminal behavior is learned. Certain traits obviously only come from genetic factors, but some need to interact with environmental factors in order for them to activate. According to Fox, this intense behavior “is learned in interaction with other persons within intimate personal groups,” (154). The criminal is aware of his actions, and usually has had strange behavior since childhood. Though some factors contribute to genetics, the reason for serial homicide overwhelmingly shows that it is learned through social and personal circumstances. Genes interact with the environment, which ultimately forms an individual’s way of thinking and acting. Sroufe has argued that early relationships in life provide the foundation for all later relationships, because individuals internalize specific patterns practiced during childhood, creating an “internal working model” (836). Particularly, children’s behaviors and interpersonal interactions were observed overtime, and little change occurred between infancy and more advanced stages of development (Sroufe 835). Although not all who experience abuse early on in life become serial killers, it is understood that neurological deficiencies and the resulting lack of emotional response created by this abuse are what separate serial killers from other abused individuals. In analyzing the “Case studies of Seven Serial Offenders” by James Beasley, the seven offenders had a sense of similarity between all of their cases. These cases showed common themes, such as a highly unstable and complicated upbringing from early childhood to late adolescence; verbal and/or physical abuse; alcoholism involved in some form; divorced parents and subsequent remarriage of one or both parents; feelings of isolation and social awkwardness as a child; the release of pent up feelings through abuse of animals; and a temporary lifestyle later on in life (Beasley 399). These themes show how a sycophantic environment early on can mentally, psychologically, and emotionally harm a child, in which they find release later on in life through the murder of others. These ideas show that the environment has a significant impact on the development of serial killers. Alternatively, some may argue that many people have similar upbringings and do not go down the same road as serial killers. Studies have shown that sociopaths show anticipatory heart rate acceleration and small electrodermal responses to aversive stimuli (Dore 191). This shows they differ from individuals who suffer abuse but do not develop sociopathic behavior, a coping response that allows them to tune out the negative interpretation their brains have on sociopathic behavior. In addition, a small number of tested sociopaths took longer to recognize emotional words than neutral words (Dore 192). This shows they have a “perceptual defense” against emotional stimuli, which further shows the characteristics abused individuals with sociopathic behavior have that causes them to tune out emotional responses. Though genetics affects the behavior of serial killers, the environmental causes overpowers them, increasing their ability to commit multiple murders. 

It is essential for people within the larger framework of society to have a greater understanding in the actions and motives behind serial killers. Society in essence manufactures, enables, and constrains their mental state, and it is incredibly evident that they live and kill within varying sets of social conditions. Criminology has emphasized that serial killers are the outliers of society, which is how their strategies are born. If their criminal behavior is learned, then, essentially, they can unlearn that behavior. Elsa Ermer and Kent Kiehl of the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, discovered that sociopaths have difficulties following rules based on moral sensibility, despite fully understanding the rules (1400). The crippled emotions of sociopaths plays a role in preventing them from following the basic rules of society, but this is possibly correctable. People with autism spectrum disorder have difficulties on grasping social cues or behaving the right way in social contexts, but ones with higher functioning autism can normally learn to make the right kinds of signals in social situations. For example, they can learn to make eye contact, gesture during conversation, and express an interest in other people. Despite this engaging behavior, it can require years of training with a therapist or medical professional before they even start showing signs of the learned interactions. They must learn to do what others learn by interacting with family members and peers. If people with high-functioning autism, an inheritable disease, can learn social cues, then seemingly sociopaths can learn to follow moral rules by participating in extensive training. Hopefully this learned behavior can be unlearned, but it will take time and effort from the patient, which can be difficult to control. As technology advances and research furthers, and more podcasts similar to Up and Vanished airs, society will acquire a better awareness toward the treatment of made serial killers.
