criminalprofiler:

Psychopathic Behavior and Juvenile Delinquency:

Born Bad; Early Warning Signs of the Child Psychopath

In Robert Hare’s book Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopath Among Us, he cites the real-life example of twin girls, Ariel and Alice. Both came from the same environment and had the same opportunities. But the parents noticed “something different” early on with one of the twins, Alice. While Ariel got a went on to law school and got her degree and a good job, Alice was in and out of trouble with the law, got involved in drugs, and repeatedly asked her parents for help and bail money.

Are Psychopaths Born or is Bad Behavior the Result of Environment?

There are differing opinions on whether children are born with psychopathic tendencies or whether the syndrome is brought about by social influences and early experience. Psychologists who believe social and early experiences are the cause often use the term sociopath to describe such youths. Other experts, such as Robert D. Hare, who feel psychological, biological and genetic causes are the underlying factors are more likely to use the term psychopath.

Opinions also differ on treatment of the psychopath, whether treatment should fall to the mental health profession or the correctional system.

The Juvenile Psychopath: Cruelty Toward Other Children and Siblings

Many psychopaths show signs of disturbing behavior early in life. This can be exhibited as cruelty toward siblings and other children or extreme cruelty toward animals. Because psychopaths feel no empathy toward others, they may inflict abuse on their siblings. In extreme cases, like the little girl in The Bad Seed, they may seek ways to coldly erase any competition for affection by smothering an infant in its crib or other acts of violence.

Juvenile Psychopathy and Cruelty Toward Animals

Cruelty toward animals is one of the most obvious signs of emotional unbalance in children and young adults. The psychopath either treats the cruelty as an ordinary event or derives some pleasure from animal torture.

Jeffery Dahmer showed such cruelty at a young age by impaling the head of a dog and staking cats to trees.

Early Warning Signs of Psychopathic Behavior

There are a number of symptoms that can suggest mental illness. However it should be understood isolated traits, such as lying or petty theft, can be caused by many other factors. A cluster of related symptoms must be present before a diagnosis can be made of any psychopathic mental disorder, and a diagnosis must be provided by a qualified expert.

Below is a list of signs that may indicate serious behavioral problems in a child or young adult:

• repetitive, casual lying
• apparent indifference to the feelings, expectations or pain of others
• defiance of parents, teachers and rules
• continually in trouble and unresponsive to threats of punishment
• petty theft
• persistent aggression, bullying and fighting
• truancy
• hurting or killing animals
• early experimentation with sex
• vandalism and setting fire

(Photo: Kemper, who first killed at age 15)

thegrungescene:

Fans gather for Kurt Cobain’s Vigil / Public Memorial Service at the Seattle Center. [April 10, 1994]

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