CJ 725 Forensic Behavior Analysis Blog

The Ted Bundy Tapes

True crime and forensics had never really been my cup of tea before taking this class. Ever since, I feel like I have a weird obsession with learning more about the minds of serial killers and their motives, and what kind of people they are. Mind you, I have boundaries for learning more. The documentaries and dramatizations I watch have to be about those who are either dead or in jail for the rest of their lives. I don't like unsolved cases or knowing about murderers who were never caught because I have too much anxiety for that, as I'm sure most of us do when we find out there could be a serial killer sitting right next to us. Anyway, I've been particularly drawn to the famous ones; Aileen Wuornos, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffery Dahmer, and of course Ted Bundy. I watched the "Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes" on Netflix, and here's what I learned.

I think everyone was a little perplexed by Bundy because of his demeanor and how he presented himself to the media. His trial was the first to be publicly televised which was huge, and his background was like no other, coming from law school and thinking he was his best defender. He was found guilty and given the death penalty so clearly, he wasn't a very good defender, but at least he tried. I watched this docuseries after learning about psychopaths and typical behaviors they exhibited and I could've seen him coming a mile away. He was a psychology major after all, and I think he knew exactly what he was doing. He was extremely manipulative, he knew his audience always, he was condescending, and narcissistic. I can go on and on about these character traits he exhibited throughout the trial and on the confession tapes. Towards the end of his life, he was diagnosed with manic bipolar disorder, which may have contributed to some of these exhibits of odd, antisocial personality characteristics. Either way, it doesn't change the fact that he was a serial killer, and never showed remorse for the things he did even up until the day he died.

Though I can analyze Bundy and point out key characteristics that may explain why he committed the heinous crimes he did, I cannot understand it. Sure, I can understand bipolar disorder or major depression, because that can be scientifically explained with chemical imbalances. But using that for a reason as to why you'd murder 30 innocent young women doesn't do it for me. I cannot understand that.

I hate to say this about any human being but I'm glad he is no longer with us and no longer out there causing destruction in the lives of so many. He was a sociopath, a psychopath, and a serial killer, and none of his victims deserved to be hurt by him. I hope they are at peace, and I'm glad the judicial system did not let him off easy for his crimes.

The Criminalization of Mental Illness

https://create.piktochart.com/output/43096522-criminalization-of-mental-illness

Use the above link to access the Infographic I created on the criminalization of mental illness. We have taken steps back as a society, locking up individuals who need help simply because we either do not understand how to help them or there is lack of funding for the aid. Our jails and prisons have become modern day asylums, a holding cell for individuals with mental illness where they decompensate at significant rates under the guise of rehabilitation. The lack of community resources, funding, and accessible treatment has been a disservice that has gone on far too long. Steven Liefman, a Miami Judge, stated, ‘We have failed people with mental illness miserably. We have seen homelessness increase, seen shootings of people with mental illness increase, wasted critical tax dollars and have made mental illness a crime in this country.. This is a shameful American tragedy and it is one that must be reversed’ (2019). These powerful words hold the conviction that change is essential. Individuals with mental illness comprise a vulnerable population that should be protected, not shamed and punished.

LIVING SAFELY WITHOUT VIOLENCE IS A NEW GENDER RESPONSIVE GROUP INTERVENTION FOR WOMEN

Females involved in the criminal justice system come with a unique set of other needs. In assessing this, there has been edits and additions created within the types of programing available for these women. More recently there has been a group created as an intensive program specifically for women who are involved in the CJ system that engage in violent behavior. It is a gender responsive program that address the needs and real-life issues of women under community supervision. The program is based on cognitive behavior theory and research from evidence-based treatment models: Relational Theory, Trauma Informed, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavior Intervention. Each female who comes through the AIC, Alternative In the Community, are screened to assess for the need to participate in this group. The group meets twice a week for 2 hours each session and runs consecutively for 20 sessions. It is a closed group after the 3rd session. The main intention is to assist identified high risk women with a history of violence, emotional dysregulation and history of conflict in relationships. It is done over a period of time utilizing 6 different modules that touch upon the following areas:

• • Module 1: Understanding Violence focuses on defining safety, defining violence, exploring causes and motivation for using violence.

• • Module 2: Building Healthy Relationships: focuses on defining the qualities of a healthy relationship, exploring the warning signs of an unhealthy relationship, identifying the consequences of an unhealthy relationship, identifying and addressing the barriers to leaving an unhealthy relationship.
  • Module 3: Recognize and Regulate: focuses on building awareness of body sensations, feelings, thoughts and the connection with behavior. Participants also learn to recognize external triggers and label emotions as well as rate emotional intensity. Participants learn a variety of mindfulness strategies to achieve regulation as well as learn a variety of calming strategies.
  • Module 4 Resolve: Participants explore and practice using a four-step model to clarify problems and generate options.
  • Module 5 Reach Out: focuses on exploring boundaries, power and balance in relationships. Participants learn to express wants and needs respectfully and practice strategies to deal with conflict while developing social awareness through social action initiatives.
  • Module 6 Review: session focusses on reviewing and practicing strategies to enhance the Living Safely Plan as well as celebrate achievements and successes.

The following tool is utilized to screen the women that are referred:

LIVING SAFELY WITHOUT VIOLENCE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The following criteria should be followed when determining placement into Living Safely Without Violence.

• Administer the ANGER/HOSTILITY SCREEN: Anger/Hostility Screen questions must be asked directly of the client in an interview format.

If the client answers ‘Yes’ to 4 or more questions in the Anger/Hostility Screen, that would indicate the client may be an appropriate referral to Living Safely Without Violence versus Moving On. In addition to administering the Anger/Hostility Screen, the following should also be considered when determining which intervention is most appropriate.

• LSWV Eligibility Criteria :

• Moderate to High Risk females on a standardized risk/need assessment (WRNA, LSI-R, DVSI-R).

• Females with a history of violent behavior

• Females with emotional dysregulation

• Females with a history of conflict in relationships

• Client’s alcohol/drug and mental health issues are not interrupting daily functioning. (Clients with severe substance abuse or mental health issues should attend alternative interventions prior to or concurrently with LSWV).

• Cognitive abilities – client must be able to perform and understand at a 6th grade level

• Information received from the referral source and information reported from the client. Ex. criminal history, past experiences.

• All cases should be reviewed on a case by case situation. Example: If a client answers ‘Yes’ to 3 questions (vs. 4) on the Anger/Hostility Screen but other pertinent information is received from the referral source, then she can be enrolled in the LSWV group.

ANGER/HOSTILITY SCREEN

Profiling

  Profiling has been an interest of mine for a long time. The section that was on profiling listed various checklists and qualities that were associated with each category. Many people do not realize that profiling has only been around for about forty years, starting in the mid-1970s. The 1970s saw an increase in serial crimes across the US, so John E. Douglas and his partner Robert Ressler set out across the country to interview incarcerated serial killers such as Charles Manson and Edmund Kemper. Both FBI agents felt that through these comprehensive interviews, they would gain a better understanding of the motives that drove these men to commit their violent acts. They hoped to create a centralized database for serial offenders in the nation that would have a precise breakdown of crime scene information and shared with other authorities in different states.

After all the information came together, the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program was formed but not official until 1984. By using ViCAP, the authorities can look for an unknown subject and compare case details to open or closed cases to find any patterns that might exist. Although Howard Teten and Jack Kirsh made strides within the FBI as profilers, the ViCAP helped them create a branch in the agency referred to as the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC). Authorities in the US or Canada can submit a request to NCAVC, which has a connection to the ViCAP. The application will go to NCAVC to analyze a sequence of unsolved murders, suspicious cases, or unidentified bodies. While this analysis is going on, the ViCAP computer software runs through various scenarios a human profiler would think of reflecting any particular behavior. Douglas provided us a faster way to profile criminals nationwide. As the serial killer “whisper,” Douglas was able to dive into the minds of serial killers that led to trailblazing accomplishments at the present day.

The skill and ability of criminal profilers is the background to several books, television shows, and films like Silence of the Lambs. Mindhunter's debut on Netflix a couple of years ago highlights the early struggles of the FBI to comprehend and profile serial killers. Mindhunters is created from the writings of best-selling author Mark Olshaker and legendary FBI profilers John Douglas.

What exactly is criminal profiling or psychological profiling as it is sometimes called?

Profiling, or criminal investigative analysis, as the FBI calls it, involves the investigation of a crime with the hope of identifying the responsible party, that is, an unknown perpetrator, based on crime scene analysis, forensic psychology, and behavioral science (201712). The APA mentions that criminal profiling combines law enforcement and forensic psychology but with somewhat new parameters and definitions. The experts in criminal profiling might not always agree on things like basic terminology. Still, they all have a common goal of examining evidence taken from the crime scene, and statements provided by victims to cultivate a narrative for an unknown offender.

During the inquiry stage, numerous things are determined, such as if crimes are linked, predicting the personality and lifestyle characteristics of the unknown perpetrator; moreover, the possibility of the perpetrator escalating their crimes. When investigators are ready to make an arrest, profilers foresee where to look for an unknown serial criminal as well as pinpoint the information that should be in a warrant to make the criminal react. When a criminal is finally apprehended, the criminal profilers act as subject matter experts in court linking the crimes and forensic evidence to the alleged perpetrator of the series of crimes.

Jack the Ripper case is known as the first application of criminal profiling and the methods of autopsy reports and crime scene evidence. In the fall of 1888, London physicians George Phillips and Thomas Bond made well-versed guesses about Jack the Ripper’s personality and behavioral characteristics. Dr. Bond’s report determined that “all five murders no doubt were committed by the same had… the women must have been lying down when murdered, and in every case, the throat was cut first.” Furthermore, he went on to say that Jack the Ripper had no medical training even though the killer had a particular way of cutting and mutilating his victims.

Dr. Bond’s report was in direct opposition to what the authorities had concluded about Jack the Ripper. They believed that the perpetrator had some medical training due to the method of how the internal organs were removed. Dr. Bond’s report went against the majority because of the gaping wounds that were inflicted on the victims but did not demonstrate medical training. Dr. Bond describes the murders as erratic and a man of isolated means. Unfortunately, we will never know the truth because the crimes committed by Jack the Ripper remain unsolved.

https://www.criminaljusticeprograms.com/articles/the-history-of-criminal-profiling/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wicked-deeds/201712/criminal-profiling-the-original-mind-hunters

Substance Abuse and the Criminal Mind

The criminal mind has many different factors that play into the creation of each individual. The same goes for how drugs and alcohol affect each person differently. To me, it seems as though certain drugs or alcohol, cause different types of criminal activity. Our lecture notes show that heroin addiction tends to have a correlation with money-producing crimes such as robberies, burglaries, shoplifting, and larceny. I can definitely understand why heroin tends to contribute to these types of crimes because heroin is one of the most addictive drugs, so most addicts need to steal to help feed their habit if they do not have it readily available to them. Our notes also point out that research shows GHB, Ketamine, and Rohypnol are linked to sexually related crimes and OxyContin is linked to pharmacy robberies, thefts, and health-care fraud. In an article by Maia Szalavita, it states "brain imaging studies of violent criminals are difficult to interpret because the most persistent among them — those who are responsible for a disproportionate amount of all crime — are not only violent but also overwhelmingly addicted to alcohol and other drugs...A new study aimed to tease out the differences by comparing four groups of volunteers: violent offenders who were addicted to drugs; the rare violent offenders who were not; nonviolent people with alcohol or other drug problems; and those who were neither violent nor addicted" (Szalavita, 2). The results of the study show that these brain scans suggest that drug misuse is correlated with reduced brain volume in areas of the cortex that are involved with self-control. In other words, these subjects showed less control and were weaker in areas such as violence, aggression, desire, craving, pleasure and motivation. 

It has been proven that criminogenic drug users often recidivate back into the system. Once they get out, it is usually in their nature to go back to drugs because of learned behavioral patterns. Now some people may ask, why should society even bother treating these “hopeless” causes or addicts if they will only be cycling back into the system? Unfortunately, many people think this way because they don’t understand an addict, their disease, and what struggles they go through every day. It is actually very important to try and find people in the system and people who have just recently been let out of the system, a way to get treatment and help for their addictions because it actually ends up saving the state money in the long run. In an article by David Deitch, he states that “along with the cost of tracking illicit sales activity, a tremendous burden rests on the taxpayer for the dollars to build and maintain prisons. This becomes exceedingly poignant as prisons are increasingly used as a way of responding to this problem. As the costs of investigating, prosecuting and incarcerating addicts mount, the highest cost comes from recidivism” (392).

Drug culture in this country does seem to have a strong correlation to criminal behavior. Now, obviously not all criminals are drug or alcohol abusers; but from the readings, it does seem to have some correlation to criminal behavior. Our text states that, “in 2004, nearly a third of state and a quarter of federal prisoners committed their offenses under the influence of drugs” (pg. 473). Of course, every case is different, but I find it very interesting that researchers are exploring more and more the link between alcohol/substance abuse and the correlation to crime.

The article by David Deitch states, “So, the question may be, which comes first, crime or drug use? The answer is both. Many recent studies and interviews with offenders suggest that in approximately two-thirds of clients, criminal behavior precedes the onset of drug taking. This is particularly true when disruptive behavior with elements of violence has been observed in early childhood. In the remaining one third of these offenders, the drug taking came first. Many studies indicate that in 50% of youth, criminal behavior comes first, in 25% of youth the onset of drug taking precedes the first criminal act, and in the remaining 25%, substance use and criminal behavior started simultaneously” (394). It is interesting to say whether the drugs come first or the crime, but depending on the circumstances it can be both. The article goes on to state that there is an intimate connection between crime and drug use. There is definitely a relationship between high rates of recidivism and substance abuse criminals as was stated earlier.

One of the more interesting statements our textbook mentions is, "the belief that alcohol is a major cause of crime appears to be deeply embedded in American society" (Bartol, 496). We as a society I believe tend to forget that alcohol can be just as addictive or harmful as any other drug. Our lecture notes state that according to research, alcohol tends to be associated with violent crimes. It also shows that at least 40% of convicted murders being held in jail had alcohol play a factor in their crime (which was homicide), and about 3 million violent crimes occur each year where alcohol was perceived to have played apart. The acts of rape, assault, robbery, or aggravated/simple assaults are mostly likely to be committed by a criminal under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol alters a person’s mind much like any other drug, which is why alcohol tends to influence the way people act. Some people tend to act differently from how they normally would because of the consumption of alcohol; and depending on a person’s cognitive factors, they may act out violently.

References:

Deitch, David. Ph.D. (The Relationship Between Crime and Drugs: What We Have Learned in Recent Decades. Retrieved from: https://www.cnsproductions.com/pdf/Deitch.pdf

Szalavitz, Maia. (June 11, 2011) The Criminal Mind: How Drugs and Violence May Affect the Brain. Retreived from: http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/10/the-criminal-mind-how-drugs-and-violence-may-affect-the-brain/

Image is also from this article.

Bartol, C and Bartol A (2017) Criminal Behavior: A Psychological Approach, 11 Edition, Pearson Press.

Rousseau, D. (2019). Forensic Behavioral Analysis:  Online Module 2. Boston University.  Retrieved from: https://onlinecampus.bu.edu/bbcswebdav/courses/19fallmetcj725_o2/course/w6/metcj725_ALL_W6.html

The Second Assault

Rape and sexual assault are some of the most under-reported crimes in the United States. It is estimated that one in three women and one in six men living in the US experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime, yet only 37% of these crimes are reported to the police (https://www.nsvrc.org). Due the sensitive, personal, and humiliating nature of sexual assault, it is understandable that victims of these crimes would feel reluctant to come forward, and the current system does not make this process any easier. In fact, victims that do end up reporting their crimes describe their experience with the reporting process as a "second assault," this time at the hands of the police and medical professionals.

Victims that do come forward often experience victim blaming; victim blaming occurs when the victim is wrongfully held accountable for the crime(s) committed against them. When interacting with police or medical professionals, victims may be asked what they were wearing when they were assaulted, if they were under the influence, if they are sure that they didn't want it to happen, and other similar questions that imply that the victim is at fault. This line of questioning can be incredibly traumatizing for the victim and promote self-blame. Coupled with the intense interrogations and derogatory remarks from police officers, victims are also subject to a 'rape kit exam,' an invasive 4-6 hour long medical examination needed to collect evidence for the criminal investigation. Throughout this examination, the victim is asked a series of questions about the attack and is essentially re-victimized.

Whether or not victims choose to report their crimes, they are subject to the victim-blaming culture that exists within the US. With the rise of the #MeToo movement, more and more people are coming forward and exposing the hidden epidemic of sexual assault and rape within the US. But as this movement gained momentum, more and more examples of victim blaming came along as well. Both within society and law enforcement agencies, it is common to hear things like "well, she was wearing X, Y, and Z, so she should have known this was going to happen" or "maybe this wouldn't have happened if she wasn't drunk." Statements like these sow the seeds of self-blame within the victims and have debilitating psychological consequences.  Of those who have experienced sexual assault within their lifetime, "81% of women and 35% of men report significant short- or long-term impacts such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)" (https://www.nsvrc.org), and the constant re-victimization and victim blaming only exacerbate these issues. 

It is estimated that "the lifetime cost of rape per victim is $122,461" (https://www.nsvrc.org). This hefty price tag may quantify the medical and therapeutic expenses that come along with being a victim of sexual assault, however, the price of a victim's life can never be quantified. Rape and sexual assault and severely traumatic events that change a victim's whole outlook on life. The devastating psychological impact could effect all other aspects of a victims life and the trauma is something that they will live with forever.

To fix this broken system and encourage more victims to come forward, we would need a complete overhaul. At an institutional level, law enforcement and medical professionals should receive proper training on how to handle victims of sexual assault and incorporate trauma-informed interviewing methods. At a societal level, much more effort needs to be put in to alter society's perception of rape victims. With time and proper media exposure, society's views may change, but for now, it is important for people to remember that anyone can be victimized and people are not be able to always control what happens to them. By propagating these views throughout society, it will allow for people to be both more compassionate to those who are suffering and self-compassionate if they are victimized in the future (Schroeder, 2016).

References

Get Statistics. (2019). Retrieved December 8, 2019, from https://www.nsvrc.org/node/4737.

Schroeder, M. O. (2016). The Psychological Impact of Victim-Blaming – and How to Stop It. Retrieved December 8, 2019, from https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-04-19/the-psychological-impact-of-victim-blaming-and-how-to-stop-it.

Vagianos, A. (2017, October 25). Why These Women Are Tackling The 'Second Assault' Of Reporting Sexual Violence. Retrieved December 8, 2019, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-these-women-are-tackling-the-second-assault-of-reporting-sexual-violence_n_59ef76fae4b0bf1f88363c04.

What is a Rape Kit and a Rape Kit Exam? (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2019, from http://www.endthebacklog.org/information-survivors-dna-and-rape-kit-evidence/what-rape-kit-and-rape-kit-exam.

Consistency in The Insanity Defense

I was first introduced to the concept of the insanity defense as a senior in high school and when asked to take a side in a criminal case, I remember thinking that pleading insanity was absurd and giving criminals an easy way out. However, given the opportunity to reconsider I realize there is a lot more that goes into it. In fact, people who get the insanity defense often give up their freedom for longer than a prison sentence for the same crime but they are less likely to reoffend for the same crime.

In an article on insanity defense, they explain a case in which a man with no previous history of mental illness pushed a woman into the path of a subway train, he was later evaluated and found to be psychotic (Reid 171).  This was an interesting case because there was no previously known illness. It brings up an interesting point in questioning how consistent this defense can be because someone like Jeffery Dahmer was found to be sane by a court of law in his trial. No two of these cases are like on another so it is hard to set certain guidelines for judges to follow in these types of cases because they are so unique and it is possible that two different juries would not vote the same on the same case.

Other difficulties with the jury include the state of the individual. It could be more convincing to a jury if they see the psychosis in a court of law, however being in a state of psychosis leads to unpredictable behavior. Taking medication controls psychosis and the unpredictable behavior but it produces side effects that make it difficult to be in court, however stopping necessary medication after it has started produces other side effects and withdrawal symptoms. No matter what the situation is riddled with ethical issues and difficult to keep consistent.

References:

Reid, W. (2000). The insanity defense: Bad or mad or both? Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 169-172.

Vicarious Trauma

Self Care Within The Prison System

CJ725 Forensic Behavior Analysis Blog 

Self Care Within The Prison System

By Lynne Sullivan December 7, 2019

What is self-care?

Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Although it’s a simple concept in theory, it’s something we very often overlook. Good self-care is key to improved mood and reduced anxiety. It’s also key to a good relationship with oneself and others. (Michael 2018)

Being in prison can be a traumatic experience. The environment, the strict rules, regulations and lack of personal control all have an impact on your mental health. That is why self care while incarcerated is vital to a person’s mental health. Looking after your mental health with self care can help you cope with life in the prison system. Make positive changes to improve your well being. Build better support networks with family, friends and other inmates. Build better relationships with staff and professionals who can help. Self care is essential.

Since incarceration is a very traumatic experience. It can require a lifetime of self care management. There are several methods one can utilize while incarcerated to help keep a person’s mind at peace. However, not all correctional facilities have self care programs; some facilities may have more, some less.. People who are sentenced to state prison often have more programming that a county facility. This is due to the difference in sentencing structure. A typical county facility will house people for up to 2.5 years unless they have an on and after sentence in which case they would do both sentences back to back. State facilities are typically for people serving 2.5 years and up to life. These are the facilities that will usually have more programs available. Most all facilities can hold people who are awaiting trial. These folks can be waiting for years before actually being sentenced or sent home without a charge. 

Many prisons have programs that can be accessed by all who are incarcerated. These programs can be utilized for self care purposes. Taking care of your body and mind is essential to maintaining sanity within the confines of prison walls. Let's look at the benefits of a couple methods of self care offered in prisons. A mountain of evidence shows that aerobic exercise—such as brisk walking, running, cycling, or playing tennis—can help improve your mood, reduce your stress, and boost well-being. Worrying now and then is part of life. Living within the prison system, worry is a part of everyday life. People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), excessive, ongoing worry and anxiety about a variety of things can spiral out of control. This disturbed sleep often goes hand in hand with this pattern of chronic worrying. People with GAD may have trouble falling asleep, or their slumber may be fitful and restless. Add prison stressors to the equation and you have more than sleepless nights. Andrews (2017)

Weightlifting, on the other hand, is anabolic: It builds the body up and promotes the release of the feel-good hormone testosterone.Two new studies lend scientific credence to my experience. The first, published in 2017 in the journal Sports Medicine, found that lifting weights reduces the symptoms of anxiety. The second, published in May of this year in JAMA Psychiatry, found that lifting weights can help ease and even prevent depression. Both of these studies are particularly valuable because they are meta-analyses (comprehensive reviews of multiple experiments). In other words, these aren’t just one-off findings. Stulberg (2018)

There are other means of self care beside participation in activities provided by the facilities. For many who are locked in a unit for several hours a day they might play cards “spades”. This is a form of social activity that not only connects people but releases stress by taking you out of your thoughts. It is a time that you can focus on the people around you instead of where you are or why. When someone is missing home or feeling down, it is often good to surround yourself with people who can understand you. For others prayer or morning meditation is another way many will start the day. It gives them a closeness to a higher power, the hope, the strength that is needed to survive another day. It can be a way to hold peace within yourself. 

Self care comes in many forms within the prison systems. Each person will need to find what works best for them. However, no matter what that is isn’t important as long as they are being kind and gentle to themselves.

References: 

Andrews, L. (posted Mar 29, 2017) How Strength Training Helps Keep Anxiety at Bay: Resistance training may help you resist excessive worry and anxiety  Retrieved From: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/minding-the-body/201703/how-strength-training-helps-keep-anxiety-bayMinding the Body

Stulberg, B. (Jul 5, 2018) Lifting Weights Helps Ease Anxiety and Depression  Retrieved From: https://www.outsideonline.com/2324201/lifting-weights-helps-ease-anxiety-and-depression

Michael, R. (July 8, 2018) What Self-Care Is — and What It Isn’t  Retrieved From: https://psychcentral.com/blog/what-self-care-is-and-what-it-isnt-2/