David Berkowitz Son of Sam - 1142 Words

Elizabeth John SOC 212/6790 July 12, 2015 Prof. J. Weiss David Berkowitz â€Å"Son of Sam† Synopsis David Berkowitz better known as the â€Å"Son of Sam† is from New York. I choose him because I wanted to learn more about what drove him to commit such heinous crimes. I wanted to look into his mind and research why his mind was working like this. Could it be possible that a neurologic defect drove him to become a serial killer? Due to today’s advanced media technology, we as a society are more aware and instantly informed about mass murders and serial killers. There is a difference between a mass murderer and a serial killer, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, statistics Bureau. (â€Å"Mental Floss†, 2008). A â€Å"mass†¦show more content†¦David grew up in the Soundview section of the Bronx, which was a middle class neighborhood with mostly Jewish and Italian families. At the age of 5 years old, not only did he began to take showers with his father, but when they went to the beach club, his mother bathed him in the shower in the presence of other naked women. By the age of 6 years old, David noticed the power men had over women, â€Å"when a male entered the women’s side of the bathhouse, all the women shrieked†. (Gale Biography). At the age of 7 and 8 years old, he experienced a series of head accidents. First, he was hit by a car and suffered head injuries. A few months later he ran into a wall and again suffered head injuries. Then he was hit in the head with a pipe and received a four inch gash in the forehead. Believing his natural mother died while giving birth to him was the source of intense guilt, and anger inside David. His size and appearance did not help matters. He was larger than most kids his age and not particularly attractive, which he was teased by his classmates. His parents were not social people, and David followed in that path, developing a reputation for being a loner. At the age of 14 years old David became very depressed after his adoptive mother Pearl, died from breast cancer. He viewed his mother’s death as a monster plot designed to destroy him. (Gale Biography). He began to fail in school and began an infatuation with petty larceny and pyromania. He sets fires,Show MoreRelatedEssay David Berkowitz: the Son of Sam .44 Caliber Killer1950 Words   |  8 PagesDavid Berkowitz: the Son of Sam or the .44 caliber Killer On the summer night of July 29, 1976 shots rang out in a New York City neighborhood. This marked the beginning of the .44 caliber or the Son of Sam murders. His reign of terror would grip this city and its surrounding areas for over a year. Sadly the Son of Sam whom was eventually identified as David Berkowitz a severely disturbed young man that fell under the several theories of crime causation. In his early life he felt awkward andRead MoreDavid Berkowitz: A True Psychopath Essay1639 Words   |  7 Pagespeople who are close to them. David Berkowitz meets the criteria of Hare’s checklist and is believed to be a true psychopath. Berkowitz is known as the â€Å"Son of Sam†, a thrill seeking serial killer who terrorized the city of New York for over a year. Information about David Berkowitz’s background, personality traits and lifestyle and his serial killer profile help to prove that he is in fact a psychopath. In conclusion, this essay will prove to readers that David Berkowitz is a notorious serial killerRead MoreDavid Berkowitz Essay Outline1366 Words   |  6 Pagesto the hysteria of the paralyzed New York City communities. Finally, he was captured and that was not the end of David. With his wild claims, Berkowitz kept New York City on its toes for more than 40 years. People still do not know what to expect from his mouth. 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Nature : Nature And Nurture969 Words   |  4 Pagesnurture in serial killers is addressed and examples of murderers are given for each theory—David Berkowitz, Nannie Doss, and Carl Panzram. According to the article, The Son of Sam, David Berkowitz, was a serial killer who killed six people and seriously injured eight. People who knew him beforehand described him as a quiet and polite man. Berkowitz was an adopted child and raised by Nathan and Pearl Berkowitz. His parents were noted as loving and caring parents, but friends and neighbors noticed thatRe ad MoreThe Act Of Losing The Right For Vote For Inmates986 Words   |  4 Pagespunishment for breaking the law nothing to do with race. For example David Berkowitz, Elton M. Jackson and Ariel Castro three different man three different crimes each lost their right to vote amongst other things. The reason I gave three names as example is because they were all different races. First we have David Berkowitz also known as â€Å" The Son of Sam† is an Italian- American male who terrorized new york boroughs. David Berkowitz was a serial killer who took many lives away and was sentence to sixRead MoreSchizophrenia And Schizotypal : Mental Personality Disorders889 Words   |  4 Pagessome very infamous serial killers who suffered from the disorder. The most famous of these violent serial killers who suffered from schizophrenia, may be David Berkowitz or the â€Å"Son of Sam†. Berkowitz would eventually be diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, after a killing six people in New York City from 1976 to 1977. When asked why, Berkowitz told authorities that he had received the commands to kill from his neighbor s dog. While it is rare that someone who suffers from schizophrenia will becomeRead MoreCriminal Profiling And Racial Profiling1373 Words   |  6 Pagesschool when he was finally identified by police. Next, David Berkowitz, a New Yorker serial killer is a perfect example of a disorganized killer. Also Janine Vaccarello the author of Crime Museum states in his website that Berkowitz the serial killer murdered six people in New York and injured many more†¦Berkowitz would attack people that were usually sitting in their cars or out in public and leaving messages for police, which said â€Å"Son of Sam†(1). He used a .44 caliber gun in all of his killings