hat would end up claiming the lives of 6 beautiful young women, and injuring another 11. Berkowitz’s targets were almost exclusively women, usually found in their cars with their boyfriends. The Son of Sam spree led to the abandonment of lover’s lane, for the safety of locked doors and parental supervision.The criminal justice system has never seen a character quite like David Berkowitz. His killing spree engulfed the nation with rage and apprehension of public safety. Law enforcement had a difficult time dealing with Berkowitz at first because he struck so quickly with such deadly force and violence. Before he committed these mass killings, he had no known criminal background, leaving local, state, and federal agencies confused and frustrated.The following is a detailed personality and criminal profile of serial killer David Berkowitz through the psychoanalytic, criminal justice, law enforcement, court system, existential, and behaviorist perspectives. The personality theories of Sigmund Freud, Rollo May, and B.F. Skinner will be investigated, and applied to the criminal profile of Berkowitz to help explain why he committed these violent crimes against society and the justice system. Implications of his actions will be applied to our criminal justice system as we know it today. Sigmund Freud viewed Human behavior as an attempt to reduce the instincts or drives, which compel human beings through life. Freud used the term Libido, which refers to the biological drive of Sexuality. Freud’s personality theory encompasses his notion of the id, ego, and superego. The id includes all innate instincts and drives which inspire human behavior. The id operates under the pleasure principle, its main function to reduce the demands of the libido. The ego, the second structure operates under the reality principle, its main function is to find healthy acceptable ways to reduce the tension built up in the id. The ego is mad...
