Is it tru that adoptees are more likely to murder someone?

Question

i just heard this

Answer 1

I doubt it... most adoptees are taken out of a bad environment and put into a good/better one, instead of being raised in an unhealthy environment.  So I would think they would be Less likely to murder someone.  That is unless they were taken out of the environment too late (aka being adopted at 17).

Answer 2

there has been research on this and some studies support this theroy. i feel it depends on the person, because i''m adopted and i have no hankering to go out and kill alot of people.

Answer 3

You shouldn't believe everything you hear.

Answer 4

it all depends on the parenting. If the child is adopted at a later age, and was abused, even moving into a wonderful new home can be traumatizing. This doesn't mean that they  will murder somebody. The chance of that is even lower if the birth parents gave up the child at an early age, better if the (birth) parents still keep in touch. If you are considering adopting, just be the best parent you can be. When adopting a small child, explain to them about their adoption as soon as they can understand. If adopting an older child, just give them lots of care and love. If their (birth) parents are a) still alive, and b) not a criminal, see if you can contact them, (it might  help a child understand that they weren't given up for adoption because they were not a good child, it had to do with their family). Any way, adoptees are not more likely criminals, as long as the parents are up to par, as with any other child.

Answer 5

Just the ones who want to murder adoptive parents on this forum.

P.S.-Don't hate me & send more e-mails please.  I was joking because it seems there is so much negativity about adoption on this forum.-Seriously, the statistics I was given show that adoptees are much less likely to commit any crimes!

Answer 6

This seems to me to be like when the media is desparately trying to get something sensational on a murderer.  It is not enough to say that a person murdered another person, they need to find something to distinguish this person from another killer.  So they will dig and whoa, discover that they are adopted, former Eagle Scout, Quaker, you name it.  More labels at work, in our sick labelling society.

Answer 7

I want to kill lots of people but I dont think it has anything to do with me being adopted. Wait,....do normal people even want to kill other people or is that just me....? Im just joking. a little, I think adopted people have a lot of hurdles to cross, maybe more than others, and many are likely to have chemical imbalances from being mistreated as fetus, infants, children but I dont know if you can specify murder and adoption just like you cant say becuase Im hispanic im more likely to eat tacos. One has nothing to do with the other whether its true or not. I do love me a taco though....

Answer 8

In true british style, I think its a load of BOLLOCKS (testicles) Oh look, I am adopted and have a sense of humour!

Adoptees are no more likely to murder anyone, then the little old lady next door. Where people get these stupid stats from are beyond me. They seriously need to get a hobby. Its all in the upbringing.

Answer 9

No, I am adopted and i do not want to murder anyone... A lot of my friends are adopted.. So this is not true

Answer 10

If there is any legitimate research to prove this, it is most likely a correlational study.  This means theres no control of the groups (because it would be unethical if they really did think there was a chance). Also keep in mind that you cannot draw conclusions from these.  They just show relashionships

Answer 11

Well, actually no, because they are taken in to a good enviorment when they are adopted.

Answer 12

at first I was like 'oh my God what is this person talking about' then after thinking about it I reconsidered, i don't know actually... there is some evidence that implies that this may be true but at the same time it is more likely that it is not the adoption that caused the spike in stats but the problems surrounding and experienced by the child for example being in care or victims of abuse.  interesting....

but no i don't think i'd be more likely to murder someone just because i'm adopted

Answer 13

ABSOLUTLY NOT! IT IS YOUR CHOICE HOW YOU RAISE YOUR CHILD SO YOU MAKE THE DECISION!

Answer 14

questions like this remind me of the reason I left this section in the first place- I just came back to see if anything has changed- NO THEY HAVEN'T

Answer 15

So what will you do now that you have heard this ? ask everyone you meet if they are a adoptee first and if they have heinous intent ?

And NO I dont want to kill anyone

I think you will find that its to do with how they are raised, if they go from foster home to foster home,or are abused and so on..

Answer 16

Before you believe something like that you need to research it and get scientific data.  That's a very hurtful thing to say, just based on something you heard.

ETA:  You know, I just realized who you are.  You make a habit of asking obnoxious questions on this site.  Do you do that on all the YA categories, or is adoption just your favorite one to pick on?

Answer 17

All the really good serial killers were adopted.  

That is why every one says, "Oooooooh, YOU're adopted?!"  and follow it by a long, uncomfortable silence.

Answer 18

are you THAT gullible.....

Answer 19

You may find this book interesting reading:

http://www.adoptionunchartedwaters.com/b...

Answer 20

I always wondered why my mother locked her bedroom door at night.

Just remember there are about 303,000,000 people in the US.  A tiny percent are killers.  An even tinier amount are adopted killers.   The stats are also skewed because they don't  differentiate between different types of adoptions ie foster, step parent, at-birth.  The number of adoptee serial killers is so small based on the U.S. population it is statistically irrelevant.  We are talking about, what, 70 people out of 303,000.000?  

The news sometimes can make it seem like crazed adoptees are running around killing their parents.  The fact is serial killers are rare.  Adopted ones are even more rare.  So, rest easy,  you are not likely to kill or be killed by an adoptee.  

It amazes me how adoptees themselves love to perpetuate this stereotype. lol!

Answer 21

I've heard this too.

Interesting input Phil.  

Does the article state what percent of these children are from foster care or adopted as babies?

I'm also interested what the statistices are for abused children vs nonabused children and each group's likliehood of violent behavior.

Answer 22

So you listen to a bunch of idiots huh?  No one can say for sure what causes a person to kill. Most of the time it is an imbalance in their brain they do not think straight. And contrary to somes beliefs most killers have came from good homes, no abuse or anything like that. As for children killing their parents if you actually read about this most of the time it's about money or because they didn't get their own way, or a petty fight that goes too far. It is unfair to categorize any type of people. Maybe you should spend more time reading and watching the news.

Answer 23

This is a really pathetic question! I am adopted and i do not want to murder anyone, let alone hurt someone.You can not make huge generalizations like this when you no nothing about being adopted, OBVIOUSLY!Who ever you heard this from does not know what they are talking about.

Answer 24

I've heard someone mention that here before. I don't buy it though.

What a terrible and rude answer by the car salesman.

Answer 25

NO

The only group of people of children that group up to be murders are abused children

Answer 26

"The FBI estimates that of the 500 recorded serial killers in U.S. history, fully 16 percent were adopted – an incredible statistic, considering that adoptees represent only 2-3 percent of the general population."

"Aside from the serial killers, Paul Mones, a defense attorney and expert, who wrote the book When a Child Kills, reports that adoptees are 15 times more likely to commit parricide (kill one or both adoptive parents) than biologic children. Among adopted children who have killed both of their adoptive parents, I have personally examined and/or testified for: Patrick Campbell (Darien, Conn.), Patrick DeGelleke (Rochester, N.Y.), Matthew Heikkila (Somerset, N.J.), Daniel Kasten (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) and Patrick Niiranen (Portland, Ore.). (Most of these cases, with my forensic evaluations, are described in detail, in my book Adoption: Uncharted Waters.)

"In addition to the serial killers and parricides who were adopted, there have also been many cases of adoptees who killed strangers, such as Jeremy Strohmeyer, an 18-year-old high-school honor student, who was plea-bargained by star defense attorney Leslie Abramson (of Menendez case fame) to life without parole, for the killing of a 7-year-old girl in the restroom of a Nevada gambling casino during the Memorial Day weekend of 1997."

Answer 27

Yes. Adopted children are more likely to commit murder or be prone to violence and crime. It is a genetic makeup. They are from a couple of people who do not have the things in life to make it work. There fore they are genetically prone to fail.

Answer 28

Yes, it's true.  All of you...be afraid.  Be very afraid.

Answer 29

Hello!  It's not being adopted that causes some maladjustment and mental instability among some adoptees.  It's being abused, neglected, and moved from pillar to post in their biological homes and foster care.

If you compare the children placed through private adoption, private agencies and were infants and toddlers when adopted, those numbers pointing to mental strife are far less than the general (non-adopted) population.

You have to be be very careful with statistics.....everyone knows they are easily manipulated to support the hypothesis in question.

Answer 30

Gosh after watching the OMEN I was concerned about raising the Anti-Christ.....now I might be raising a serial killer?

Darn and we were hoping for a pro soccer player......well she could always whack the competition.

Answer 31

Don't quote me but this came up a while ago and the study said that they were 17% (I think) more likely than non adoptees, but adoptees constitute a small percent of our population so it basically makes the figures look worse than they actually are.  And if I remember correctly it is usually directed toward their adotive parents. BUT DON'T QUOTE ME. I can't find the question to post it for you.

Thanks Phil.