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David Berkowitz's Biological Theory

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David Berkowitz also known as the Son of Same was a serial killer who terrorized New York City during the 1970s. When he was born in New York on June 1, 1953, he was known as Richard David Falco. His birth mother put him up for adoption when he was just a few days old. He was then adopted by Nathan and Pearl Berkowitz who named him David Berkowitz. As Berkowitz was growing up, he was a smart boy but also showed many problems. At an early age, he was not interesting in learning anymore and would lash out and keep starting fires. His adoptive parents took him to a therapist who treats mental disorders but no change appeared to come out of that. At only the age of fourteen, Berkowitz’s mother died of cancer. This affected him extremely considering he was really close with her. A few years later, his father remarried a woman he did not like and moved away to Florida without him. After that, “In 1971, Berkowitz joined the Army …show more content…

The biological theory is one of the theories I would have to say that applies to him. The biological theory defines as “theories that maintain that the basic determinants of human behavior, including criminality, are constitutionally or physiologically based and often inherited” (pg. 81). When Berkowitz was just a few days old, his birth mother gave him up for adoption. As he got older, his adoptive parents told him that she was not alive and had died while giving birth to him. Berkowitz grew up with the guilt thinking that he had killed his own mother. I believe this was something that made David behave the way he did. It was said that he became a bully around his neighborhood. He was filled up with so much anger and guilt that his behavior became aggressive. The biological theory also applies to him because his behavior became more erratic when his adoptive mother died and his father later married and moved away. He had a hard time of getting use to

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