Socialization and Criminal Behavior

This report is on two brothers and a cousin that were involved in the same crime. The media has label this crime the "Allentown Massacres". Brothers Bryan and David Freeman along with their cousin Nelson Birdwell committed homicide on Dennis, Brenda, and Erik Freeman, Bryan and David's parents and younger brother on February 27, 1995.

Growing up the brothers were raised by parents that were very religious. This family was involved in their church and were proclaimed Jehovah’s Witnesses. This religion prohibited celebrations of birthdays, national holidays, voting, and participation in the military. As Bryan aged 17 at the time of the crime, had a growing interest in joining the military and David age 15 wanted to start participating in extracurricular activities in school.

Both brothers has had previous mishaps with anger and substance abuse. They were once committed to hospitals and rehab organizations. They both disliked authority pertaining to teachers, coaches, and parents. They also disliked their youngest brother because he obeyed and followed their strict rules. It was also learned that both brothers were involved in an organization of White supremacist movement aka "Skinheads".

According to white supremacist, members could earn points for killing their parents this was part of the reward system placed within the organization. The Freeman brothers had come across this organization after Bryan had a stay in a treatment facility where he made friends with another boy that persuaded him to join the "Skinheads". The ideology of the White supremacist movement was a combination of biblical phrases offering to a person that is rejecting their established religion a teaching of prejudice and hate (Ramsland, Dashner, 2012). By using biblical phrases and teachings; the White supremacist movement is considered by some to be a religious cult of some kind.

David was treated substance abuse in 1992 with a month long stay in a hospital and then transferred to Reed...