Chapter 4 Childhoods of Violence Summary and Analysis

Are serial killers born or are they made, is the question Ressler tangled with. During his research on serial killers, Ressler gathered an unprecedented amount of data that makes it seem as though the answer is that while serial killers must have some genetic predisposition to mental illness, much of the cause must be in their upbringing. What struck Ressler was that serial killers seem to share many similarities in personal history and in their family environments. First, almost all are male. There is only one suspected female serial killer and Ressler is not even sure about her. Second, almost all are white and younger than thirty-five. Most are of average or above average intelligence and most do not come from extremely poor backgrounds. They may not have come from poor families, but almost all...