“We serial killers are your children, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And tomorrow there will be more of your dead children.” (Ted Bundy). Serial killers aren't always those people who look like monsters or behave in strange ways. Sometimes they are the successful people, those who have a family and a job. The term "Serial Killer" was first coined by Robert Ressler, former director of the FBI's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program. Serial killers are often defined as people who kill two or more people in a period of more than 30 days with “cooling off” periods between each killing. Many historical criminologists suggest that serial murders have been a component of society from the beginning; suggesting that old stories about vampires and werewolves were, in fact, based on serial killers. Regardless of public opinion, serial killings have been a part of society in the past and present. We can range from historical killers like Gilles de Rais to “Jack the Ripper,” considered by many to be the first modern serial killer, to serial killers still operating in the present. Many historians agree that the number of serial killers has increased considerably in the last two years due to the introduction of new media and technology. Statistics show that 80% of the 400 serial killers active in the United States in the last century originated since 1950. While each serial killer is different in its own way, most have some key similarities that are consistently used to understand the reasons behind serial killings. Most serial killers possess some type of mental illness and/or psychological problem. This could also suggest that serial murders are not just a problem of “education”, but that… middle of paper… leads to his death sentence in the gas chamber. Another school of psychology that uses a strong argument while addressing Chase's behavior is the school of psychoanalysis. This school claims that the ongoing abuse Chase suffered as a child is what ultimately led to his illegal actions during adulthood. Furthermore, the use of defense mechanisms applies to this situation. Using the displacement defense mechanism, Richard Chase was able to redirect the angry feelings he felt towards his parents towards the animals he had killed. Serial killer research has been very questionable over the past couple of years. Regardless of technological advances in catching criminals, serial killers will always be a part of our society. From "Jack the Ripper" to the "Sacramento Vampire", serial killers will always stalk their prey and scare entire societies or even the entire world.