Jeffrey Dahmer ("Milwaukee Cannibal"): An Analysis of Psychopathic Personality Traits

Jeffrey Dahmer (“Milwaukee Cannibal”) was an infamous serial killer who terrorized Milwaukee, Wisconsin for years during the 1980s and 1990s. Dahmer murdered multiple African-American and homosexual men, in addition to raping and dismembering them. Moreover, his murders also included necrophilia, cannibalism, and the preservation of body parts, like bones or skeletons. Dahmer was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, and a psychotic disorder; nevertheless, he was found to be legally sane at the time of his trial (Davis, 1998).

In addition to being diagnosed with the aforementioned disorders, Dahmer also exhibited psychopathic personality traits as a child. For instance, he was always a loner, who felt that he was neglected by his family and did not fit in/assimilate/associate with his peers. Dahmer was very intrigued by science, since his father was a scientist (Davis, 1998). More interestingly, he was even more intrigued by dead or dying animals. One neighbor recalled that he would perform experiments on insects and then maintain their bodies preserved in a jar of chemicals (Davis, 1998).

As many other psychopaths, Dahmer’s killing began escalating; he began experimenting with roadkill and prey, skinning and dissecting the animals before getting rid of them. He even showed some sentiment as he buried them in an “animal graveyard”, and discriminated against others as he mounted their heads on spikes, or kept them preserved in chemicals (Davis, 1998). Dahmer exhibited one of the first childhood activities that most strongly correlates to psychopathic, sadistic offending. Out of enuresis, animal torture, fire setting, pathological lying, and chronic daydreaming, Dahmer is known to have tortured animals and to have had violent fantasies (Davis, 1998).

Sadly, no one noticed Dahmer’s proclivities, and no one tried to help him develop healthier behavior and emotionality (Davis, 1998).

References
Davis, J. A. (1998). Profile of a sexual predator: A psychological autopsy of an American serial killer. The Forensic Examiner, 7(1-2), 28-33.