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Rylie Gumtow

Mr. Ventura

Composition 2-1530

September 25, 2020

Issue proposal: Nature vs. Nurture- Killers

In today’s society we are surrounded by crime and violence, may that be, TV shows

highlighting or “piggy backing” a killer’s crime spree, the news, media outlets, documentaries,

and the like. Diving deeper into the mind of a killer is the nature vs nurture debate. In this, the

nature vs nurture debate involves whether the human behavior is determined by one’s

environment or by a person genes. Nature is by which a person is influenced by genetic

influences where Nurture is generally taken as externally such as exposure and/or experience.

Notable killers, such as Ted Bundy John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer are discussed and

studied to this day: and Why? To determine if they had pre-determined dispositions or was there

environment a factor. Furthering the discussion on this debatable topic: how does our society

view the minds of a killer (psychopath/sociopath tendencies). What have we (as a society) done

to potentially help transform these individuals (criminal justice system, counseling,

psychotherapy)? Setting the course of help and assistance, what can we do to create and foster a

positive environment-potentially- how to deal with urges and impulses, may that be from early

adolescence when the brain is so easily influenced?

When discussing whether or not killers derive from nature or nurture there are a lot of

other factors that play a role. A question that raises a lot of flags is whether or not the crime or

act of violence is caused by a mental illness, and can it be fixed by treatments and or
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rehabilitation? What can we do to help these individuals? For example, David Berkowitz, aka

“Son of Sam” was a killer in the 1970s to the 1990s. Killing six people and wounding some, he

later was sent to a correctional facility and put into rehabilitation programs. Berkowitz soon

found Christianity and became a great prisoner and showed significant changes in behavior. Did

Berkowitz transform because he was given another opportunity to succeed? The controversy is,

is there hope for correction and rehabilitation once convicted? Research has indicated that

change can be made if they’re willing to realize what’s right from wrong. After these individuals

are put into custody, and begin the interrogation process, they start to unravel as to why they did

what they did, and why they felt the compulsion to do so. Part of a killer’s reform is going

through therapy, the counselors and psychotherapist are trained to know the difference between

lying and being deceitful in hopes of transforming a person who kills. Additionally, one must

find their routes, family dynamics, and the like to help “put the pieces of the puzzle together,” as

research indicates, often a person who kills, has a story: perhaps isolated from peers as a child,

isolated from family, cruelty to animals, and physical/emotional abuse. Furthermore, resting on

the debate, when a person kills, is reform to a mental hospital where they will receive ongoing

mental therapy in order to find the source, the trigger, and the underlying factors that drove them

to commit such heinous acts. Or is reform to a correctional facility where at times there is not

ongoing mental therapy provided, simply a means to justify the crime?

Contrary to what other researchers say, some believe that these killers are “born with it”

that they are destined to become who they are, and there can be no change or reform for them in

our society. Some believe that they are pure forms of evil and should be sentenced to death and

shouldn’t have the opportunity to change themselves (eye for an eye mentality). More recently,

the case of Chris Watts who killed his pregnant wife and two children along with disposing their
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bodies in an oil tank, received three life sentences for his horrific crime. Neighbors noted that he

was a quiet individual, however, on the day of questioning he was somewhat “talkative,” and

offering suggestions as to what “transpired” the morning of their disappearance. The specific

trigger for the killings is based on the premise Chris was having an affair and wanted a life of his

own, without the “burden” of bringing another child into the world. Based on this information-

environmental circumstances, perhaps drove Chris (along with many other killers), to kill.

Researchers believe “they” (inside the mind of a person that kills) are not necessarily born into

evil or have the will to kill, but outside circumstances led them to. In the example of Chris Watts,

he was not a child who isolated himself or acted cruelly towards animals, so for all intensive

purposes, he led a “normal” life. To note the example of those the kill that were briefly noted in

the aforementioned paragraphs, researchers and some journalists alike, believe killers are mass

manipulators, one who thrive on their deceit and in some cases” have a high body count.”

Another notable killer, (I use the word notable as forensic psychologists and the like use this

example to help further their research on why people kill). BTK: Dennis Rader noted that

demons within him drove him to kill (nurture). He enjoyed frightening the public and teasing the

cops, later when he was interrogated he explained how his arrest was long overdue. Once again,

reiterating the debate of: Can a person who has killed be reformed and/or reintegrated into

society without causing further harm? Researchers on this side of the controversy thoroughly

believe that unless true reform or treatment comes to be: they shouldn’t be given the opportunity

to succeed or lead a successful life. There potentially is not enough reform to “wash away” the

crimes and disparity that these individuals have caused.

Looking deeper into the human psyche and exploring more about anti-social disorders,

social integration into society and reform for the most dangerous offenders makes a great topic
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for research and potentially a great research topic for this semester because with all what I

already know, there is still questions that I want to find the answers too and fully learn additional

information. I have always been interested in the human brain and the main question of why

people do what they do. It’s fascinating to me what the human body is capable of doing and what

things are controllable and what some people have no control of. I have learned what I already

know from books, documentaries and TV shows, in my free time I tend to look up articles and

gain more information about serial killers and get a feel about how they grew up or what

happened to them in their early childhood that affected them. Right now, I know some general

“facts” about killers and or psychopaths, most notable killers derive from some sort of child hood

trauma, whether it be mental or physical abuse or a death of a family relative that greatly impacts

the still developing brain. Which potentially can lead to psychopath/ sociopath tendencies. I also

know, that because of the trauma caused as a child, makes them lack remorse and empathy for

their victims, and or human beings in general, this also causes the sense of excitement that they

crave and for a place in this world. This is where nature vs. nurture comes into play: environment

vs. genetics. While I know a portion of this controversial topic, I do not know it in its full

entirety. However, I do agree that is it ever-changing and ever-evolving, and therefore, sparks

my interest and pushes me to further my education on this particular topic.

With all the information and knowledge that I already know, there is still some huge

research questions that I would like to be more informed about. Is there a way for there to be

more studies about killers that are sitting in prison? So we can continue further research on them.

Can we produce more programs for young children that start to show psychopath/ sociopath

tendencies? Some killers are transformable, what is stopping the ones that claim they can’t be

helped at all? Would studying the brains of the most deviant of offenders help us further gain
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knowledge and more statistical data? I think researching this and or looking in the databases I

can find articles to help fill my curiosity, and continuing to keep exploring the internet for more

information and to see what others think or have the same ideas as I do.

Lastly, killers and the nature vs nurture debate is timely, current, relevant and sustainable

issue to begin more research. There still is ongoing research happening everyday focusing more

on the human brain and the psyche. Mainly focusing research on people who commit violent

acts, like John Wayne Gacy, David Berkowitz and Ted Bundy, picking apart each and every case

and their victims, using the research, teaching those learning more about them to get more of a

better understanding about them. Constant research being done of the compulsive and impulsive

tendencies that a psychopath feels, furthering in more and around how the brain develops and

works throughout childhood and adulthood, and how the brain is wired to never feel empathy

and remorse. Crime and violence is constantly occurring in our everyday lives all around us. The

nature vs. nurture debate is still the biggest that it has ever been and is relevant in today’s society

as we look back onto the most notable killers of our time and study every little thing about them

to further our education.

As I continue my research I will utilize the use of ethos, logos and pathos in my essay. I

will use ethos to show the credibility and my resources for my research, delivering it in a

confident manor to show my own knowledge. Using logos, as well I will have strong wording

and refer to my findings on articles on my research, showing the logic in my essay will make it

strong and precise. Finally using pathos to show values and emotions will appeal to the readers

showing my own feelings on the debate and on research. Using all of these methods help

contribute to the delivery of my essay, making it strong and credible, and over all a great

research essay.
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In summary, this issue is controversial and relevant in our world today about the human

mind and nature vs. nurture and what we can we do from here? What steps can we further take to

help support these individuals and help them with a place in our society today. Although some

people may believe that individuals that suffer from psychotic tendencies are the evilest forms of

human, In the end it comes down to the development of learning of the human brain and what we

can do as a society to help learn and grow from them. It is important to realize what kind of

information we have in front of us and how we use it to better the individuals around us. The

main idea is to show the significance that these type of individuals have in our world today and

how we can learn and take information from them. Hopefully we (society as a whole), can make

a difference about what we do about these individuals in our world and help reform them.