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Psychology of Violent Criminals

Understanding the thought patterns and motivations of people who commit violent crimes is a somewhat controversial and unresolved issue. While many people argue that violent criminals are created, others suggest some people are born with the inclination for violence. Outside forces such as abuse can indeed create people with violent tendencies. However, research, such as the study published in 2007 in Neuropsychopharmacology, also supports the belief that certain individuals are born lacking the normal regulatory processes that prevent most human beings from engaging in violent criminal behavior.

  1. Nature versus Nurture

    • Rather than looking to either nature or nurture for answers to the violent criminal dilemma, many people now support a combination approach that includes both angles. It is widely believed that for an individual to engage in violent crime, he must not only have some type of biological predisposition for it but also grow up in an environment that helps develop it.

    Motivation

    • The motivation of violent criminals can often be determined by examining the type of crime they commit as well as the environmental factors that led to the crime. For example, violent crimes committed by gang members have a social element often derived from peer pressure. Domestic crimes are sometimes motivated by revenge. Motivation is a strong element that is considered when examining and attempting to understand violent crime.

    Abuse

    • Suffering from abuse as a child does seem to have an influence on the possibility of committing violent crimes as an adult. A study published in 2006 by the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests that the chance of becoming a criminal nearly doubles when abuse is present as a child. The study goes on the say that sexual abuse causes the most damage, although mental and physical abuse play roles as well.

    Mental Illness

    • Although many people believe that the mentally ill are responsible for committing the majority of violent crimes, only a very small percentage of this group engages in severe criminal behavior, according to a study published in 2006 in The American Journal of Psychiatry. Another study in 2005 in the same journal suggests that mentally ill people actually are the victims of violent crimes more often than the perpetrators of those crimes.

    Recidivism

    • The probability of recidivism for those who commit violent crimes and are apprehended depends on many factors, according to a study published in 2003 in the Federal Sentencing Reporter. Environmental changes, existence of a support system, drug or alcohol abuse and level of psychopathy all play a part in whether or not a violent criminal will strike again. If the gang member returns to her neighborhood after being paroled, it is likely she will fall into old habits. Sex offenders and other perverse criminals motivated by innate desire require intense treatment to overcome biologically driven urges.

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