http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178991&page=36
Pulp Fiction, I was a little bit surprised to read the above bolded by me statement. I too have a background in psychology (I'm not verified on here, so won't go into too much detail on that), which made me do a double-take re your post.
I think there is a much stronger balance of nature/nurture than you have acknowledged. Sure, environment can play a major part, but we are also born with a specific genetic makeup that means two people exposed to the same circumstances don't always respond the same way. Just like someone who develops cancer, there is a genetic predisposition, that is triggered through exposure. And in some situations, decision-making and free will certainly influence how a person develops (or how stilted their development is). Your statement suggests hope is lost if born into a damaging home environment. I just don't agree with this, and from your other posts, I don't think you believe this either.
And the suggestion that 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' is a very very broad generalisation - murderers do not necessarily breed murderers (through genetics or parenting). There are just way too many factors for this statement to be plausible.
I also believe that the term 'born evil', although featured in the research literature nowadays, brings forward a whole lot of generalisations and assumptions from the old 'good versus evil' concept. I am not sure how 'evil' can be classifed in the DSM? It also suggests a very black and white view of what our profession views as mental illness and psychopathy.
You sound like you do an absolutely brilliant job working with kids (which I can tell from your sincere posts), but I just had to comment re that one paragraph in your post.