Applied Criminological Analysis of Ted Bundy

A reign of terror shocked the United States during the 1970s. More and more women students suddenly and inexplicably vanished. During a frantic search for the serial murderer, investigators could not seem to find a link to the perpetrator. The striking similarities of the victims indicated to only one mastermind was behind this scheme. However, when he was caught, America learned that not every serial killer fits the profile. Ted Bundy, a man known to many as intelligent and intriguing, spread his reign of terror throughout the United States by systematically targeting and murdering young women; using the process perspective, it is determinable that his confusing and often tumultuous upbringing as a youth influenced his future behavior one of America's most notorious serial killers.

Ted Bundy was born with the name Theodore Robert Cowell in Burlington, Vermont, on November 24th, 1946. Bundy, who came from a middle class family, was a Caucasian male that was born to his mother, Eleanor Louise Cowell. Eleanor made a living by working as a department store clerk. His father, who was an Air Force veteran, was not present in Bundy’s childhood or thereafter. For the initial few years of his life, Bundy and his mother lived with his mentally challenged grandfather in Philadelphia. Bundy would later refer to his grandparents as “mother and father”, and to his biological mother as his older sister. Bundy grew older believing that this was true. Using this simulation, Bundy’s mother would not receive any criticism for being an unwed mother. (Wikipedia, 2005)

Soon after they moved to Philadelphia, Bundy and his mother moved to Tacoma, Washington. They both lived with Eleanor’s uncle, Jack, who taught music courses at the College of Puget Sound. Not long thereafter, Eleanor met John Culpepper Bundy, a hospital cook from North Carolina, at church, and married him a few years later. Consequently, Theodore Robert Cowell would be known as Ted Bundy. (Wikipedia, 2005)

Bundy had four younger siblings who he spent most of his time babysitting. Bundy did not like his new father much at all. John unsuccessfully raised Bundy as his own, only including Bundy when going on camping trips and other father-son activities with his other sons. Bundy thought of himself as unique, and he had his own ideas. Bundy’s grandfather was the only man that he respected. Bundy became forlorn when it was time to leave his grandfather and move to another place far away on the other side of the county. (Wikipedia, 2005)

As a young child, Bundy was very shy and was often the target of bullies in his junior high school. In spite of the humiliating experiences he suffered, he maintained a high grade point average. Bundy, who attended Woodrow Wilson High School, was known to be a smart, if not brilliant, young man; friends from high school would later remember him as being a cheerful, normal teenager. He was a more popular figure in high school than he was in junior high. While he was very shy, Bundy was thought of as well dressed and extremely well mannered. However, nobody recalled Bundy ever dating anyone during this time period. He was more interested in other pastimes such as skiing and politics. He was an active leader for his Boy Scouts and was a member in the Methodist Church. Bundy’s interest in politics began to bloom in high school. When he grew older, he was an overenthusiastic worker and campaigned for the Republican Party. Bundy also did volunteer work for the Seattle Rape Crisis Center. (Wikipedia, 2005)

Bundy felt that he had a problem interacting socially, but never thought to seek medical or psychological aid for it. As for his relationship with his parents, he believed his mother did most of the raising in regard to him and his siblings. Bundy did not, however, talk to his mother on personal terms because he believed his mother had a problem with talking on an intimate, personal level. He once quoted, “I didn't know what made people want to be friends. I didn't know what made people attractive to one another. I didn't know what underlay social interactions.” Bundy once told the authors that he had another side to himself, the side that he called “The Entity,” which he kept well hidden from others. Regardless, friends would still remember him as being a striking, eloquent gentleman. One morning, when Bundy was four years old, he appeared in his aunt’s bedroom