Have you ever wondered why some people love art and music and others love science and math? These individuals enjoy math or art because they feel a sense of relaxation and excitement from these activities. Serial killers like to kill people in the same way and have many different reasons why they kill them. A serial killer is a person who kills repeatedly. The only reason that drove Dennis Rader to kill his victims was to gain power and control over them. To identify serial killers before they kill repeatedly, a person must study the characteristics that make up this type of criminal. Most serial killers have been abandoned by one or both parents, suffer emotional, physical and even sexual abuse from a family member or relatives from unstable families who have criminal, psychiatric and alcohol records or who tend to feel hatred for your parents. and people in general which makes them suffer from antisocial personality disorder. They suffered conflicting pain or tortured animals at a young age and most are very interested in gaining control over things. While not all serial killers possess these characteristics, most share them in the same way that they share the psychological need to have complete control and power over people. Dennis Rader was a normal Avaergae citizen until he shocked the public when he was captured as a serial killer who caused a tragedy in their town. One article stated that "either his genes or his childhood or perhaps a sad combination of both has created a hole where most of us call the soul" (Klepper). Dennis Rader was the eldest of four children. He grew up in Wichita Kansas. As a child Dennis was known for killing and hanging stray cats. (article 3) People...... half of the newspaper ......05, March 06). The suspect in 10 Kansas murders has lived an intensely ordinary life. New York Times. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/433020415?accountid=10244O'Driscoll, P. (2005, June 28). “BTK” calmly provides horrific details; The serial killer who stalked Wichita pleads guilty. USA TODAY. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/408976968?accountid=10244Helps prevent children from becoming monsters. (January 23, 2006). Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/379956373?accountid=10244Megan, K., & Courant, S.W. (2005, March 10). THE MURDERERS (AND LIARS) AMONG US; HOW DOES A SERIAL MURDER LIVE WITHOUT FINDING AMONG "NORMAL PEOPLE"? BEING A SOCIOPATH - A PERSON WITHOUT CONSCIENCE, WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO LOVE. Hartford Courant. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/256830354?accountid=10244