Criminal Intent

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="005fd5a3.jpg"> <div> <I><B>Dependency Answers</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>         </B></I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Georgia" ><I><B>  Since 1998</B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>|     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dependency Answers"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="006d2b03.jpg"> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Articles and Resources"><U><B><U>Articles and Resources</U></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dependency Answers"><U><B><U>Home</U></B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I><B>Criminal Intent</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>The purpose of my article is to draw a conclusion between my 18 years of Substance Abuse Studies and the reasons for crime.</B></div> <bR> <div> A sentence of imprisonment is imposed, in principle, to deprive the individual of his or her freedom; the experience of restriction of liberty in itself (and it alone) is intended to be punitive. In study after study both in the United States and Canada repeat offenses are statistically about 58% short term to 74% long term as averages. According to a Canadian Study the statistics are grim; See <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Georgia" ><A HREF="http://www.johnhoward.ab.ca/PUB/respaper/recidv02.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.johnhoward.ab.ca/PUB/respaper"><U><U>http://www.johnhoward.ab.ca/PUB/respaper/recidv02.htm</U></U></A></FONT></div> <div> (Updated 2002 but not requoted)</div> <bR> <div> <B>The prediction of recidivism becomes important</B> given the cost of incarcerating short term inmates. A meta-analytic review of 50 studies involving over 330,000 offenders was undertaken in 1999, producing the following results:</div> <div> (a.) longer sentences of incarceration are not associated with reduced recidivism;</div> <div> (b.) longer sentences of incarceration are instead associated with a 3% increase in recidivism; and</div> <div> (c.) low risk offenders are slightly more likely to commit new offences than are high risk offenders. </div> <bR> <div> <B>The Personality Of Repeat Offenders Include;</B></div> <div> Risk factors for recidivism have been studied, with results indicating that, while weak predictors of recidivism include: (a) intellectual functioning; (b) personal distress (i.e., anxiety, self-esteem); and (c) social class of origin, the strongest predictors of recidivism are:</div> <div> (a) criminal history/history of antisocial behavior; </div> <div> (b) social achievement; </div> <div> (c) family factors; and </div> <div> (d) criminogenic need.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The predictors or smoking gun concerning addiction are closely tied to the predictors for initial criminal activity and repeat criminal activity.</B></div> <div> The criminal mind makeup according to the Canadian Study;</div> <div> (a) intellectual functioning;</div> <div> (b) personal distress (i.e., anxiety, self-esteem); and</div> <div> (c) social class of origin,</div> <bR> <div> <B>Now if we grab the recidivism reasons we can make a tie in with the reasons for Substance Abuse.</B></div> <div> (a) criminal history/history of antisocial behavior;</div> <div> (b) social achievement;</div> <div> (c) family factors;</div> <bR> <div> <B>Substance Abuse is linked heavily to</B> anxiety, low self-esteem, intellectual functioning, anti-social behavior, family factors and in many cases, social class of origin. In fact, in order to be a substance abuser or criminal the following personality traits are seen very often.</div> <bR> <div> (a) lack of empathy or compassion</div> <div> (b) justifying and rationalizing, intellectualizing behaviors and acts</div> <div> (c) low self-image</div> <div> (d) lack of coping skills</div> <bR> <div> It is recognized worldwide that Substance Abuse is a treatable psychological problem which includes poor impulse regulation and an almost overwhelming desire to use one or more substances to change the way the substance abuser feels or is thinking. </div> <bR> <div> Better put-alter their personal state thereby changing temporarily their internal view of reality. It is also recognized that Substance Abuse is often taught through exposure and the attitudes of family and friends. I find it interesting that criminal behavior is often linked to a family behavior model. So if we compare criminal origins to the origins of Substance Abusers we see learned personality traits emerge or better put, personality disorders that are carried through generations or transmitted through exposure to these elements. IE-Environmental Causes.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Where Am I Going With This?</B></div> <bR> <div> Statistically prison systems don't work. We arrest. We take to trial. We imprison. Within a few short years we often re-arrest, re-take to trial and re-imprison. So we know prison is not what is needed in and of itself alone. The key word here is "alone".</div> <bR> <div> Statistically Substance Abusers run wild after their first encounter with the justice system. They also repeat in very high numbers. Substance Abusers not only abuse substances. The crimes Substance Abusers commit are spousal abuse, incest, assault, menacing, rape, parental and child battery, vandalism and a host of petty crimes as well as capital crimes such as murder.</div> <bR> <div> I submit we are looking at the same dog here. The traits shared by both are far too high to be merely coincidental. In both cases we are looking at Personality Disorders as primary. So would we not then come to the reality that prisons should not only incarcerate but treat all offender types according to an evaluation and assessment plan and parole based on successful completion of the individual treatment plan?</div> <bR> <div> The next question on my mind is why the traits of Personality Disorder that exemplify addiction diagnosis are only applied to sexual criminals or serial criminals when it is strikingly obvious to this layman that the traits being sought in those examinations exist within every criminal as a basis for their criminal intent in varying degrees?</div> <bR> <div> And my next question is why we stubbornly insist on retribution as a primary reason for incarceration when our real need and true intent is to try as best we can to make sure that the criminal does not repeat an offense or commit another offense?</div> <bR> <div> The overwhelming costs to the taxpayer in the Justice System is through the associated costs of repeat offenses. The overwhelming costs to victims and future victims comes from both our insistence that punishment is the basis of our system without regard to the deeper reason that all crimes are committed. It all comes down to coping skills and personality. Personality Disorders.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Further-Thinking Outside The Box</B></div> <bR> <div> When I went back to college I was challenged repeatedly to take my thoughts or ideas to the next possible or probable level or conclusion as well as prove by statistic, previous studies or published authoritarian article all of my conclusions. This is an excellent idea. I repeat...This is an excellent idea. What I'd like to know though is why the powers that be in our Criminal System and Society at large have forgotten the criteria for making valid points and logical arguments when it comes to making policy and law in both the Criminal System and even in our Public Schools.</div> <bR> <div> The United States is replete with laws and policies that simply do not address our society's problems in a manner that spells relief from the repeat of our problems. Hence full prisons, dockets full of repeat Substance Abuser crimes, skyrocketing insurance rates and unacceptable innocent and guilty death rates. Schools turning their collective backs on the origins of adolescent activity such as gang membership and drug use.</div> <bR> <div> Now my Alcoholics Anonymous training tells me that if I always do what I always did, then I will always get what I always got. In other words, nothing changes until something changes and I submit to you that if and until we view crime and abhorrent behavior taking it back first to it's personality root for the key to the problem and then forward to the natural conclusion of counseling, we will suffer the very same fate that society suffers today in repeat offenses and lives ruined.</div> <bR> <div> If counseling is the key to unlocking the addict's mind in order to change the behavior that includes everything from drug abuse to food abuse, gambling, and sexual addiction, and if counseling is the key to helping kleptomania, spousal abuse and child abuse as well as helping the victims of these problems and or crimes, then why oh why would the same approach not be taken with those who commit any or every crime?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Why Not? Because it makes perfect sense and it's just too easy for complicated minds! So America will struggle for another century with "expensive and dangerous" outmoded ideas that create anarchy and pain.</B></div> <bR> <div> Don Whiting-2001</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Copyright 1998--2006 © DependencyAnswers All Rights Reserved</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>