David Berkowitz: the Son of Sam .44 Caliber Killer
David 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 and scorned by his peers because of being adopted and his appearance. These feelings would later follow him into his adult life and as referred by Bardsely (n.d.)”, he would be creating fantasies that would crowd out reality and eventually David lived in a world populated by the demons his mind had created,” (22. The Blood Monster, para. 5). Further reading and research of the Son of Sam uncovers that he would have had the potential to find his way into the theories of labeling and psychological criminal causation. David Berkowitz was born Richard David Falco in Brooklyn, New York. His mother who was involved in an affair immediately gave the child up for adoption. Within the week of his birth he was adopted by Nathan and Pearl Berkowitz. While growing up under their care he began to show some characteristics of his violent tendencies that were to come. Although his parents provided and loved him he was known his neighborhood for having a violent streak, he assaulted neighborhood kids for no apparent reason. He was hyperactive and very difficult for Pearl and Nat to control (Bardsely, n.d.). Then the tragedy that many wuld say pushed him further down his diluted path struck. Pearl had a recurrence of breast cancer in 1965 and 1967. The disease and chemo dissipated Pearl to a very meager state that was very difficult for David to handle. Then in the fall of 1967 Pearl died. It was at this time that the delusions began to take form in his mind. After Pearl’s death David
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 and scorned by his peers because of being adopted and his appearance. These feelings would later follow him into his adult life and as referred by Bardsely (n.d.)”, he would be creating fantasies that would crowd out reality and eventually David lived in a world populated by the demons his mind had created,” (22. The Blood Monster, para. 5). Further reading and research of the Son of Sam uncovers that he would have had the potential to find his way into the theories of labeling and psychological criminal causation. David Berkowitz was born Richard David Falco in Brooklyn, New York. His mother who was involved in an affair immediately gave the child up for adoption. Within the week of his birth he was adopted by Nathan and Pearl Berkowitz. While growing up under their care he began to show some characteristics of his violent tendencies that were to come. Although his parents provided and loved him he was known his neighborhood for having a violent streak, he assaulted neighborhood kids for no apparent reason. He was hyperactive and very difficult for Pearl and Nat to control (Bardsely, n.d.). Then the tragedy that many wuld say pushed him further down his diluted path struck. Pearl had a recurrence of breast cancer in 1965 and 1967. The disease and chemo dissipated Pearl to a very meager state that was very difficult for David to handle. Then in the fall of 1967 Pearl died. It was at this time that the delusions began to take form in his mind. After Pearl’s death David
References: Montaldo, C. (n.d.). David Berkowitz - The Son of Sam. About.com: Crime/Punishment. Retrieved from http://crime.about.com/od/murder/p/sonofsam.htm VonFrederick Rawlins, l.c.m. (2005). Theories of Crime Causation. The VonFrederick Group. Retrieved from http://www.vonfrederick.com/pubs/Theories%20of%20Crime%20Causation.pdf Bardsely, M. (n.d.). Son of Sam. Tru tv Crime Library. Retrieved from http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/berkowitz/letter_1.html