Understanding Personality Disorders

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)

• Characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, a sense of entitlement, and an arrogant attitude.
• Driven by admiration, incredibly envious, and crave power.
• Capable of empathy, but view others based on their own benefit.
• Causes may include early trauma/anxiety, insecure parental attachment, vulnerability, or possibly standards set by others.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

• Persistent refusal to comply with rules.
• Failure to accept responsibility.
• Hostility towards others, physically or verbally.
• Easily annoyed, irritated, or angered.
• Deliberate testing of limits.
• Often caused by a chaotic family life, genetics, prenatal exposure to toxins, or underdevelopment of the brain.

Schizophrenia

• A serious mental disorder where individuals interpret reality abnormally.
• May experience hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior impairing daily functioning.
• Can be disabling.

Bipolar Disorder

• Causes extreme mood swings, including emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).
• Thought to be a result of chemical imbalances in the brain.
• Neurotransmitters, such as noradrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine, play a role in controlling brain functions.

Depression Disorder

• A mood disorder causing a persistent feeling of sadness, loss of interest, and difficulty with daily activities.
• Also referred to as major depressive disorder or clinical depression.
• Impacts feelings, thoughts, and behavior, leading to emotional and physical problems.

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)

• Characterized by pervasive disregard for, or violation of, the rights of others.

Types of Crimes

• Violent crime: Crimes committed against other people.
• Property crime: Crimes involving damage or theft of property, such as vandalism.
• Public order crime: Crimes that are contrary to moral values.
• White collar crime: Business-related crimes.
• Organized crime: Illegal acts committed by organized criminal groups.
• Cyber crime: Crimes committed using technology, such as identity theft, child pornography, and hacking.

Theories of Victimization

• Precipitation theory: Some victims' actions or choices contribute to the situation leading to their victimization.
  • Active precipitation: The victim knowingly puts themselves in dangerous situations, uses threatening words or attacks first.
  • Passive precipitation: The victim possesses characteristics that unknowingly motivate or threaten the attacker.
• Lifestyle theory: Individuals with lifestyles that increase exposure to crime are more likely to become victims.
  • Examples include living in high-crime areas, being out late, using drugs or alcohol, and participating in criminal activities.
• Deviant place theory: Victims are prone to victimization because they live in disorganized, high-crime areas.
  • Individuals in these areas are more likely to encounter criminals due to their environment, regardless of their lifestyle.
• Routine activities theory: This theory focuses on three factors that increase the likelihood of crime:
  • Availability of suitable targets (e.g., unlocked homes with valuable possessions).
  • Lack of capable guardians (e.g., police presence, neighbors, security systems).
  • Presence of motivated offenders (e.g., individuals with financial struggles, addiction, etc.).

Profiling

• Investigation of a crime to identify the offender based on crime scene forensics, investigative psychology, and behavioral science.
  • Phases in the profiling process:
    • Antecedent (planning, trigger events).
    • Method and manner (M.O. or modus operandi).
    • Body disposal (crime scene analysis).
    • Post-offense behavior (contact with media, potential clues left behind).
• Profile information:
  • Height, weight, age range.
  • Gender.
  • Personality characteristics.
  • Ethnic background.
  • Possible career.
  • Physical capabilities.
  • Criminal experience.
  • Connection to the victim.
  • Criminal motive.
  • Sexual orientation.

Mob Violence (or Mass Hysteria)

• In a group setting, individuals may do, say, or feel things that they would find unacceptable in other situations.
• Not necessarily new emotions, but rather a release of pent-up emotions.
• Two factors must be present:
  • Suggestible state: Mental state, alcohol, drugs, or rhythmic sounds can increase suggestibility.
  • Repeated suggestion: Exposure to a repeated slogan or idea.
• This phenomenon can be positive or negative, occurring in religious rites, political rallies, and sports/entertainment events.

Characteristics of Criminals

• Social class: Individuals from lower socioeconomic levels in deprived neighborhoods tend to have higher rates of criminality.
• Racial patterns: Penal populations often have a disproportionately higher number of people from minority racial groups.
  • This can be attributed to factors like racial profiling and discriminatory enforcement by law enforcement.
• Gender: Crime is predominantly a male activity.
  • Men significantly outnumber women in criminal populations across all severity levels.
• Age: Crime is also predominantly a youthful activity.
  • Involvement in property crime peaks around ages 15-21.
  • Participation in more serious crimes peaks later, from late teens to mid-20s, and declines with age after 30.
• Not Criminally Responsible (NCR): A legal defense used when an individual is unable to understand the nature of their actions due to a mental disorder.

6 Criminal Personality Traits

• Anti-social values: Criminal thinking, justifying their actions.
  • Often blame others for their behavior.
• Criminal peers: Association with individuals engaging in criminal activities.
  • Peer influence often encourages criminal behavior.
• Antisocial personality: Atypical behavior before age 15: running away, skipping school, fighting, lying, stealing.
• Low self-control: Inability to control temper and impulsivity.
  • Often act without thinking, making unplanned decisions.
• Dysfunctional family: Lack of family support, poor communication, and inability to express emotions appropriately.
  • Often involved in criminal activity.
• Substance abuse: Use of alcohol or drugs that significantly affect one’s ability to live a successful and productive life.
  • Increased tolerance and inability to stop using.