1. (Discussion – Theories for Criminal Behavoir)
Wednesday September 20, 2017
(Discussion – Theories for Criminal Behavoir)

2. Why was David so sure the man had been a thief?
The Daily CSI
Wednesday, 9/20/17
Stranger Danger
David was sitting in his hotel room reading a book, when he heard a knock at the door, and the sound of someone trying the door handle. He opened the door, where he saw a man whom he had never seen before.
The man said, "I'm terribly sorry ... I thought this was my room. Wrong floor, I guess." He then walked off down the hall toward the elevator.
David went back into his room, thought about what had just happened, and then phoned the front desk, suggesting they call the police, since the man at the door had obviously been a thief.
Why was David so sure the man had been a thief?
The man had knocked first. He wouldn't have done that if he'd thought it was his room.

3. Announcements Remediation for Quiz 2 runs through this Friday at 5:00.
We will take Quiz 3 this Friday!

4. F7 F8 S2 F9 F10 QUIZ 2 Friday 9/12 9/14 9/15 9/18 9/19 Overdue
Assignment Currently Open
Summative or Formative #
Date Issued
Gone Missing Day
Last Day Accepted
DE – Forensic Entomology F7
9/12
Overdue
DE – Forensic Pathology F8
9/14
QUIZ 2 S2
9/15
Friday
Activity – Forensic Files – The Stake Out F9
9/18
Tomorrow
Next Tuesday
Casework – The Case of the Fallen Scientist
F10
9/19
Next Wednesday

6. What is Forensic Psychology?
Forensic psychology is the study of the behavior and mental processes of those who engage in criminal behavior.

7. A story….
Here’s a chance to test your “novice” psychological profiling skills:
Given the crime, you determine whodunnit.
Think in terms of demographics (age, sex, race), personality, and IQ.
On December 24th 1990, the perpetrator drugs Tammy Homolka, age 15, with Halcion and Halothane, then rapes her. The perpetrator, with a willing partner, photographs and videotapes the sex acts with the victim. Tammy vomits as a reaction to the drugs and suffocates.
In mid June, 1991, Leslie Mahaffy (also age 15) disappears after phoning a friend from a She is raped and tortured over two days, the proceedings videotaped. Her body is discovered on June 29th.
In November, 1991 Terry Anderson (age 14) vanishes.
In April, 1992, Kristen French (age 16) is abducted, raped and tortured over Easter weekend. She is strangled, her nude body shorn of all hair and left in a ditch.

8. Which one is the serial killer?

9. Which one is the serial killer?
Karla Homolka
With the aid of her husband, she rapes and kills first her sister, then three other girls.
She attempts to blame her sexual predation on “battered wife syndrome.”
Most people believe that almost all violent offenders are male, when in fact women make up a sizable percentage (based on type of crime - 15% overall, about 50% of inmates.)
However, it is subsequently revealed that she is an equal partner in the murders.

10. Why Does Someone Become a Criminal?
Crime results from a multivariate combination of risk factors in an individual whose temperament or personality already predisposes him/her to criminal behavior.
There is no one single cause of crime (even within any one individual.)
An individual contributes to, and thus is ultimately responsible for, his/her own behavior.

11. Why Does Someone Become a Criminal?
Two theories have been proposed to answer the question of why someone becomes a criminal:
The Social Learning Theory
The Diathesis – Stress Theory

12. Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1977)
Learning theories attempt to explain how people think and what factors determine their behavior.
Social Learning Theory (SLT) is a category of learning theories which is grounded in the belief that human behavior is determined by a three-way relationship between cognitive factors, environmental influences, and behavior.

13. Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1977)
Modeling
Exposure to child abuse may result in conduct disorder, however this does not always occur.
We choose whom to model; we are not determined or “forced” to model.
TV/Movie violence (news of Columbine, Sandy Hook, VTech; violent movies)
Vicarious reinforcement
Growing up in a bad neighborhood

14. Diathesis - Stress
This is a more quasi-medical approach to criminal psychology than is social learning theory.
It assumes criminal behavior results from a “disorder” which is internal to the individual.
Thus, crime (or any disorder) results from an interaction of a predisposition for that disorder with life stress in the absence of coping skills.

15. Classification of Disorders
Diathesis - Stress
Classification of Disorders
Not one, but two types of disorders may produce criminal behavior.
Clinical/Mental Disorders (depression, schizophrenia, etc.)
Disorders including mental retardation and (more importantly) personality disorders.
These are not mental illnesses, nor are they generally curable or treatable.
Personality disorders imply that the person’s thought patterns, interpretations of the world, and behavior are “deviant” and this is how they “naturally” are.

16. Personality Disorders and Crime
Antisocial Personality Disorder (Psychopathy, Sociopathy)
No empathy/guilt/remorse
Violate rights/well-being of others
Usually highly charming, above average intelligence
Thrill seeking behavior
4% of males 1% of females in US
However, not all psychopaths are criminals, not all criminals are psychopaths

17. Borderline Personality Disorder
Far more common in females (3-1 ratio)
Impulsive and self destructive (substance abuse, self-mutilation)
Manipulative (e.g. parasuicides)
Excessive use of rationalization, blame others
intense mood swings (usually socially directed)
intense fear of rejection
poor anger control
poor identity formation
empirically linked with violent crime in females (e.g. Butler, 1965)
Sometimes mistaken for Bipolar, due to mood swings, but this is not a mental illness (Bipolar mood swings take place over days or weeks, not hours or minutes, and are less superficial)

18. Why So Much Crime in the United States?
The US has the highest percent of incarcerated citizens of all industrial nations, and we are fighting the war on drugs.
Why are we so violent then?
TV/movie violence?
But, we may not really be all that violent.
We just have more opportunity for violence.
“Guns don’t kill people.”
But, they DO make it easier for people to kill people.
The majority of gun homicides are committed with legally owned handguns.

19. Murder Rates in the U.S.

20. Murder Rates in the U.S.

22. Video Games and Crime 50
100
150
200
250
300
1996
2000
2005 10 20 30 40 60
Video Games
(Units Sold in
Millions)
Youth Violence
(Serious Violent
Crimes)

23. SLC Debrief
Based upon what you have heard, how would you describe the trend of crime in the U.S. at the present time?