NCJ Number
182592
Date Published
2000
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article examines the role of childhood neglect in the subsequent development of violent murderers.
Abstract
The article describes the results of a study of 36 murderers, most of whom were serial killers. The subjects displayed similar patterns of severe childhood neglect, patterns developed from birth through adolescence. Most of the killers had poor relationships with their mothers and consequently never learned appropriate ways to relate to other human beings. For example, the mother of one subject was schizophrenic and the mother of another subject had banished him to the basement when he was only 10 years old. Although many individuals who suffer from neglect in childhood do not become killers, without intervention at crucial points in childhood development, abused and neglected children are at high risk for growing up to become violent murderers. Childhood problems at home, a school system that is unwilling or unable to help, an ineffective social services system and an inability of the person to relate sexually in a normal way to others is almost a formula for producing a deviant personality.