Research Paper on Childhood and Criminal Activity

Introduction

Childhood trauma affects the violence a person processes, when they are older than a person with very harsh childhood, would be notably violent and possibly a criminal because their brain was still developing when exposed to such painful circumstances. Most of the serial killers in their adulthood have been found to have undergone childhood trauma, which has led to their unlawful action, Nicole Davies, a renowned doctor explains. This trauma could include emotional torture, neglect, parental financial strain, experiences of rape as a result of lust and financial gain typologies, as described in the Dhruvika Lakkha analysis. These acts of abuse tend to involve a lot of torture which children are not strong enough to deal with; hence, they resort to solitude and loneliness. Interaction with their mates, especially in school, may make them uncomfortable because of a lack of social skills. These peers may end up being the victims of their crimes such as murder. Parents should set a positive example to their children because young kids tend to follow their role models (parents/guardians) footsteps.

As stated in the Dhruvika Lakkha analysis, abuse has been shown to increase the risk of later forms of antisocial, including violence perpetration in adulthood. The cycle of violence exhibited when victims of childhood maltreatment perpetrate violence towards their mates and even partners at a later age. Childhood trauma such as abuses familiarises the child's mind in a negative direction, and they are later in life more likely to do the same by perpetrating sexual and physical intimate partner violence. The articles inform us that abused children in life show no empathy at all because they lack the knowledge on how to respond to their emotions. They, therefore, become more brutal and aggressive when also abusing their peers sexually and physically. According to the Dhruvika Lakkha article, there are three phases in the cycle of violence:(1) Tension-Building Phase, (2) Acute or Crisis Phase, and (3) Calm or Honeymoon Phase. Lack of mediation would lead to an increase in the frequency and severity of the abuse perpetrated by individuals with substantiated childhood violence. Childhood abuse tends to increase over time, mostly because of a contribution made by the individual, relational, community, and societal factors to the risk of child maltreatment and abuse (Dr Nicole Davies). Her study implies that children are innocent beings who are not responsible for the harm inflicted upon them, but specific attributes have been found to increase the chances of being mistreated.

Joel Norris, in his books, states that abuse is actions, but there are also inactions that contribute to child abuse, such as neglect. Crime theories would suggest that family disorganization and poor parenting skills and approaches result in weaker social bonds in children and consequently, low self-control. Negligence can be slightly unnoticeable since it expresses very subtle ways; hence, some parents tend to overlook or not notice at all. Neglect experienced by kids in their early childhood ages in many forms, one being severe discipline by the parents. Most parents and guardians suppose that discipline has to be made to look like a punishment, while this is not the case. Some parents start withholding affection and love from their children as a means of discipline, not realizing this only pushes the child further away rather than teach them the right ways. If this detachment and inattention continue for a long time, it develops into utter neglect and the kid experiences emotional and also physical neglect. This book is also scholar based, and in conclusion, this book gives you the psychological facts of how we process into criminals.

Many neglected children do not get the chance to learn about healthy relationships, and building trust, therefore, have many issues in their interactions with other people. They develop negative attitudes towards them and believe that they should live in solitude; thus, this impairs relationships later in life, such as courtship and marriage. Even when they get the chance to have a home, individuals who underwent childhood trauma tend to abuse their partners sexually and intimately. The individuals tend to look for a way to express their emotional suffering, and this is through anger and violence. The ideology of a serial killer is threatening to society, and the fact that childhood factors influence this behaviour is eye-opening.

The decay of these offenders' personalities begins at infancy for many and continues throughout childhood and into adulthood. The serial killer tends to be neglected during the primary stages of infancy, wherein which the development of the human personality begins. As these offenders enter childhood, they are still at a disadvantage socially, often as a result of abuse and parental issues. Serial killers often lack self-control, as well as other critical characteristics of a law-abiding citizenry. According to Doctor Nicole Davies, 50% of serial killers have a connection based on their childhood experiences to the crimes they commit. Joel Norris, an American author and his team also found out from his study that serial killers sexually assault their victims before murdering them which may be because, in their infant stages, they experienced the same and as a consequence suppress their emotional response due to lack of knowledge on how to respond to them. Sympathy is not a word in the serial killers' dictionary. An example of Ted Bundy, a serial killer is given by J Oliver Conroy, in one of his newspaper articles, Ted had been significantly traumatized by the mother and sister, thereby leading him into crimes.

Nevertheless, anxiety is what drives some curiosities, thus finding it relevant to explain why serial killers commit atrocious acts of violence repetitively. According to Sigmund Freud, the development of the unconscious personality early in childhood will shape behaviour for the rest of one's life. In short, cynical experiences act as "residue" from early childhood. Freud considers that the humans develop, early in life, three aspects of their personality, including the id, the ego and the superego. The identifier is considered to be primitive, supplying unconscious drives for food and sex. The ego is developed as an example of a guide to remain aligned with society's norm. The superego develops incorporating values and morals. Thus, serial killers seem to be overwhelmed by their id, which would try and explain why David Berkowitz would become a serial killer. He did not receive proper care as an infant and child, most likely due to his adoption; hence, was negatively affected by adulthood. According to the psychodynamic theory, crime occurs when a person displays a weak ego. In short, serial killers seem to express their oppression and frustration from childhood to their victims by killing them mercilessly.

Conclusion

The Dhruvika Lakkha article, however, says that as much as adult crime linked to childhood experiences, it is not always the case as some caused by changes in adult social bonds influenced by the environment, race and the historical context.

Works Cited

Dr Nicole Davies (2018). Abused Child to Serial Killer: Investigating Nature vs Nurture in Methods of Murder,https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/home/topics/violence-and-aggression/from-abused-child-to-serial-killer-investigating-nature-vs-nurture-in-methods-of-murder/

Norris, Joel. (1990). Serial Killers

J Oliver Conroy, (2018.Aug.10). What makes a serial killer?