psychological trauma in community members.

For this discussion, you will examine the effects on the community that result from a mass murder, or when a serial killer is active.

Since we are looking at the reaction that the killer generates, choose from one of the following killers:

• David Berkowitz (New York)
• Wayne Williams (Atlanta)
• Danny Rolling (Gainesville, Florida)

Use popular news magazines like Time and US News, or newspapers from the local area, so that you can put yourself in the position of someone in the community who was living through that time period. For instance, for the Rolling case, look at the Gainesville Sun from that time period; if you choose David Berkowitz, check out the New York Times or NY Post. This will give you a connection to the case you won’t get from a website created long after the fact. Based on your review, discuss the following questions.

• Describe the effects of the case on the local community.
• Did local residents change their behavior in any way?
• Did the police involve the community in the investigation? What other effects on the community might such a case cause?

Answer preview

Serial killers can cause psychological trauma in community members. When a serial killer is on the loose, people find themselves aware of the danger they are in, the obsession of whether or not you will be next on the list can cause short and long-term trauma in individuals. Survivors or witnesses to the murders may be subject to unnecessary public attention, which may cause them to withdraw from the community, isolation may lead to depression and adoption of anti-social behavior. In conclusion, serial killers significantly impact the community negatively; collaboration between community members and the police is essential to prevent and stop murders.

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