After birth, environmental effects kick in. In psychopaths the incidence of illegitimacy and the "shunting of the child from one home to another is high " such as Ian Brady of the Moors murders. Repeat killers David Berkowitz, Joseph Kallinger, and Steven Catlin were all adopted as infants. Hillside Strangler Kenneth Bianchi, rape-slayer Martin Kipp and killer-arsonist Bruce Lee were all children of prostitutes passed of to theirrelatives. The poisoner, Dorothea Puente grew up in an orphanage. Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, Mary Bell, Barry Prudom, Richard Tingler, Max Gufler were all deprived of nurturing contact with one or both biological parents.
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When five years old I was placed by my mother in St John's Orphanage, Washington, D.C. There I learned to lie, beg, steal, and saw a lot of things a child of seven should not see. Misery leads to crime. I saw so many boys whipped it took root in my head. I have many hundreds of times whipped and tortured myself, as marks on my behind will show
Albert Fish
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Numerous studies of family background of murderers who kill without remorse more often than not, indicate a malfunctioning family situation during the offenders developmental years. Clinical research commonly finds negative family and parent child interaction such as a physically abusive father who is hard hearted towards the child; seductive mother; parental rejection; inconsistent discipline; loss of a parent during childhood; and parental failure to provide adequate nurturing and emotional support.
The socio-psychological theory has been broken down into sub-theories. The first is the social structure theory. This focuses on an individuals socioeconomic standing and suggests that poor people commit more crimes because they are blocked in various ways in achieving the "American dream" through legitimate means.
This can be a result of their racial, ethnic or subcultural standing. This however does not apply to serial killers because more often than not, neither do they belong to a racial or ethnic minority nor do they seem to be motivated by social or financial gain. The few exceptions have been in the case of Belle Gunness of Indiana who advertised in the newspaper for suitors and promptly killed them once she'd gained access to their money; women who kill their husbands, fiancˇs, or lovers to improve or maintain their lifestyle.