Criminologists have defined a serial killer as a person who kills three or more people in three or more separate events. Jeffrey Dahmer, a notorious serial killer and sex offender, committed 17 murders and assaults before he was caught. Questions arise as to how someone could even do such a thing to another human being. To better understand why Dahmer behaved in a certain way, the use of criminological theories focuses on how Dahmer's life and experiences played a role and reasoning pattern for his motivations. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay To provide a brief history, Jeffrey Dahmer was a notorious American sex offender and serial killer. He was born in the 1960s and is said to have grown up with a normal lifestyle. Jeffrey's family moved around a bit when they were younger, but settled in Ohio. Being a young boy, he wasn't interested in much and as he grew older, Jeffrey became more socially distanced, showing little interest in hobbies other than drinking. Soon after graduating from high school, Dahmer killed his first victim. The victim was a male hitchhiker who Dahmer picked him up and took him for a drink at his house. The victim eventually started to walk out, but Dahmer wanted company, so to stop him from leaving he proceeded to attack him and hit him in the back of the head. He then strangled the victim to death and masturbated over her body. Dahmer drugs the body under his house, dissects it and then buries it. For a while life continued as usual, Dahmer attended college and joined the army. Due to his ongoing problems with alcohol, none of these options worked and he returned home. Dahmer was arrested here and there for misdemeanors, including indecent exposure and disorderly conduct. After 9 years, Dahmer began looking for his next victims. “Between the years 1978 and 1991, Dahmer murdered 17 men in a truly horrific manner. Rape, dismemberment, necrophilia and cannibalism were all parts of his modus operandi. Dahmer's victims all fit the profile of being male. He rarely dated women, but frequented gay bars. He collected men up there, even if not all his victims were black, he often chose men belonging to the African-American race. Overall, this led to the killing of his second victim, which he has no memory of doing. Once again, murder was not the only charge Dahmer was accused of. Between his third and fourth murders, Dahmer was arrested and tried for sexually assaulting a child. He pleaded guilty and served only 10 months of his sentence in prison. Soon after being released, continuing his spree, Dahmer went from 4 bodies to 17. As he progressed, Dahmer began to develop rituals or patterns in his killings. Choosing wisely, he prayed for men who were excluded from society. Be it criminal background or less involved in keeping up with society. The key was to make their disappearance invisible. As for abuse, he often experimented on bodies. Pour acid into the bodies, pierce them, until even part of the flesh is consumed. Dahmer stated that he had no intention of escaping control, but the more he killed, the more he wanted to be satisfied. It was known that Dahmer would cut up and preserve the remains of some victims. This could include anything from the genitals to other organs including the heart. “The only reason that ever existed was to completely control a person; a person I found physically attractive. And keep them with me for as long as possible, even if that meant keeping only part of them." For.