PSYX 382: Forensic Psychology Report on Richard Kuklinski

This report, prepared for a Forensic Psychology course (PSYX 382), analyzes the psychopathic traits of Richard Kuklinski, also known as the Iceman, a contract killer. The report identifies six key psychopathic traits exhibited by Kuklinski, such as lack of remorse and fearlessness, categorizing them under Factor 1 and Factor 2 of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). It then applies the biopsychosocial model of crime to explore the risk factors that contributed to Kuklinski's criminal behavior, including social-psychological factors like his abusive upbringing, biological factors potentially linked to genetic predispositions and negative prenatal experiences, and psychological factors such as his delusional state. The analysis draws on the documentary "The Iceman: Confessions of a Mafia Hitman" to illustrate these traits and factors, offering insights into the complex interplay of influences that shaped Kuklinski's personality and actions.

Running head: FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
Forensic Psychology

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Contents
Psychopathic traits exhibited by Richard Kuklinski , the Iceman......................................2
Risk factors of the Biopsychosocial Model of Crime which may have led to the criminal
behavior of Kuklinski......................................................................................................................3
Social risk factors.............................................................................................................3
Biological risk factors......................................................................................................3
Psychological risk factors................................................................................................3

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Psychopathic traits exhibited by Richard Kuklinski, the Iceman
Psychopathy is a disorder of the human personality which is characterized by
discrepancies in behavioral, emotional and interpersonal functioning. It includes traits like
deceitfulness, fearlessness, callousness and non-conformity.
Richard Kuklinski was known as the Iceman Killer. He was an American contract killer
who worked for the Italian mafia. He had killed almost a hundred people before being caught in
the year 1988. He was known as Iceman as he used to freeze his corpses in order to confuse the
cops.
The six psychopathic traits which Richard Richard Kuklinski, the iceman exhibited were
lack of remorse or guilt, fearlessness, lack of sympathy, criminal versatility, poor behavioral
controls and early behavior problems.
He possessed a behavior which was socially not acceptable. He lacked empathy and did
not have the feeling of guilt. He was also manipulative, egocentric, and impetuous who used to
contravene the rules in search of sensations.
He was aware of his psychological problem. He had no emotional meaning for his
barbarous acts. The reason behind his being psychopathic was that he was raised in an
environment which provoked him to behave in a particular way.
His father was an abuser and alcoholic. His mother used constant physical punishments in
raising her children. So, lack of affection caused the genetic predisposition in Kuklinski and

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forced him to deviate himself from the moral behavior. His brother also murdered one girl and
was imprisoned for it.
The psychopathic behavior of Kuklinski was rated on the Psychopathy Checklist or Hare
Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). It is an assessment tool used to analyze the presence of
psychopathy in individuals. It contains the most common personality traits and behaviors of the
psychopaths.It is to be completed on the basis of a semi-structured interview which is
accompanied by reviewing of the collateral information like the official records.
The present version of PCL-R lists two Factors viz. 1 and 2. In the reference to the
behavioral traits of Kuklinski, his lack of remorse or guilt, fearlessness, lack of sympathy have
been categorized under Factor 1. On the other hand criminal versatility, poor behavioral controls
and early behavior problems reflected the characteristics of Factor 2.

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Risk factors of the Biopsychosocial Model of Crime which may have led to the
criminal behavior of Kuklinski
The biopsychological model of crime is a model of health which comprises
psychological, social -psychological and biological factors. It was proposed by George L. Engel
in the year 1977 for interpreting health and illness.
Social-Psychological risk factors
In the category of social- psychological risk factors, the psychopaths exhibit the traits of a
lack of remorse or guilt, fearlessness and lack of sympathy due to the environment of the family.
In the case of Kuklinski, there was an exposure to violence in his family.
His father was alcoholic and abuser. His mother was harsh and punished him physically
for education. Lack of affection from his parents had a powerful impact on his mind and
provoked him to be unsympathetic and heartless during his adulthood. It also had a severe
impact on his behavior thereby causing him to be aggressive, antisocial and losing his capability
of self-regulation.
Biological risk factors
The biological risk factors may include genetic factors and negative prenatal experiences
of the child inside the womb of his mother.

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As a result, some children are born with the hyper persistent behavioral approach. In the
case of Kuklinski, his father was addicted to alcohol and abused his mother. So it made him
antisocial and he had poor behavior controls from the beginning of his childhood.
Psychological risk factors
The elements of psychological risk factors in a biopsychological model of crime involve
components associated with the mental health and personal demographics of the person.
Researches show that men are more likely to commit crime than women.
Moreover, past history of behavior is an essential factor for the prediction of committing
the crime in the future. If the situation which led to violence in the past is not changed, then there
would be the highest possibility for the occurrence of the crime in the future again.
The other risk factors include a state of acute paranoia or a delusional state of the
psychopath. In the case of Kuklinski, due to his delusional state, he believed that he was not
guilty due to the reason of insanity along with not being criminally accountable for all the brutal
acts done by him.