Inside the Criminal Mind by Stanton E. Samenow, Ph. D.

This book is a thorough analysis about the thinking pattern of criminals. This author starts out with a chapter by removing what he sees as barriers to the proper understanding of what he calls "the criminal mind" or "the criminal personality." He then uses the rest of his chapters to advance his arguments as to how our current paradigm of the thinking processes of criminals do not work. This author backs up his arguments with research as well as with his own experiences in dealing with criminals. He attributes this criminal mind-set to all stripes of criminals, whether they are violent offenders or nonviolent offenders or the nature of their crimes. This is a revised and updated edition of an earlier edition. This author closes this book by providing an actual case study of a nontraditional means "to change a criminal" and he dedicates his book to the personal he calls the pioneer of this method. He closes this book with end notes for each chapter.

I expected this book to be an in-depth analysis of criminals. It is that, but I didn't count on how this psychologist profiles criminals. I found myself mentally rebutting some of his claims about the lack of any mitigating factors in criminals' backgrounds that can explain (not excuse) their actions. I applauded his blowing the "child abuse" defense out of the water, as I see it used in way too many cases. It seems strange that many criminals bring up sexual abuse in their histories, often for the first time ever. This defense has been mounted for some high-profile murder cases when any evidence of these criminals' past victimization is slim to none. Samenow clearly dismantles the widespread idea that many criminals are victims, whether of past childhood scars, a messed-up system, poverty, injustice, impulses out of their control, or even (in almost all cases) mental illness. He argues from the fact that many responsible citizens come from the same backgrounds that criminals supposedly come from. I was disappointed that he didn't even allow for any "bettered partner" defense, and in his book, he blows out of the water any idea that many crimes are out-of-character "snaps" or "crimes of passion." While I applaud the fact that Samenow is doing much to extinguish the false compassion of criminals as "victims of unfortunate circumstances," I think that his reasoning is too much black and white with few gray areas. But, as a Christian, I know that his separating the "criminal mind-set" from the mind-set of the rest of us, is meaningless. In the theological realm, all of us are criminal. Though we may not act on hateful or covetous thoughts or desires that we entertain, we are just as criminal in God's eyes and we need the same grace in Christ to save us as criminals need. But this author doesn't profess any Christian faith. His details of his experiences are hard to dispute, while his bias is obvious from the beginning of the reading of this book.

I recommend this book for all lawyers, counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists who deal with criminals on a regular basis. I recommend this book for all those who deal with troubled child and juvenile offenders, as a means to give them insight into what the author calls the thinking processes of "budding criminals," as a way to try to prevent their charges from becoming "career criminals." I recommend this book for all those parents and family members who have loved ones who are offenders, to gain insight into their loved ones' thinking processes and to relieve them of guilt feelings that many of them may bear for their loved ones' choices. I recommend this book for Pastors, since it is a sad fact of this fallen world that we have criminals who hide out in our congregations.

I received a free copy of this book through Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest book review. I was not required to give a positive review of this book.

More Info

Author Bio

Why They Aren't What They Appear To Be

A week ago, one of the most disturbing and heartbreaking crime cases happened at a sleepover. It involved three twelve-year-old girls, and had been carefully executed and planned over a period of months. Two of the girls invite their best friend to this party, and she was so excited. Then she found herself being lured into the woods, where the other two girls were ready to carry out their plan. One girl called the shots and the other girl, the compliant one, followed orders. Then, the two young girls proceeded to wield knives and stabbed their best friend, over and over. Driven to please an imaginary character on a website, they were resolved to finish this hideous job. Then they left their best friend for dead; miraculously, she survived and was rescued. Her two friends now face first-degree murder charges and may be charged as adults, though they are not even teenagers.

What Is Going On?

It was a website character that gave these two pre-teen girls the notion to commit their brutal crime that all accounts tell us that they fully premeditated with the intent to murder. It is well documented. What is so disturbing about this case is the young age of the perpetrators, who have not even entered their teens, are girls, and committed this act against their best friend. The controversy surrounding this case is, Should these girls be tried as adults because of the sheer brutality of their crime, even though the victims survived? Another controversy is that, since science tells us that the girls' brains are still developing at age twelve, can they be held accountable for their actions? These two girls are two years younger than my daughter. The other disturbing aspect of this is that the victim and her family had no idea that their two friends were capable of such violence. The victim was reported to have said to her two friends turned attackers: "I trusted you." Sadly, we have entered an era where we have to do due diligence on anyone who wants to enter our lives, whether in our homes, our churches, or businesses. Forever gone are those days where we could just tell a nonprofit or congregation, "I want to help" and be welcome to volunteer, no questions asked. Now interviews are likely to be conducted, background checks done, and references used. Because of eroding trust and honesty along with a spike in and awareness of crime and abuse, we have entered a new age. Gone are the days where we did not have to do our homework on every friend or partner our children want to hang out with. Now, to keep them safe from evil influences and potentially violent peers, we need to get to know their parents and ask questions.

Know Those Who Want To Be With Our Vulnerable

Over these past decades, numerous disturbing cases of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and other crimes by volunteers have come out in the local and national news. Even more frequent and disturbing are reports of cases of abuse, violation, or other crimes by caring professionals or clergy against children, youth and vulnerable adults. These cases pepper the local and national news and on true crime channels like Investigation Discovery. Has all this abuse just gotten much worse or have we just become much more aware of it because of the greater access to information we have because of social media? It is unclear. But now it has reached the point that we have to be screened to do the most basic of tasks that involve contact with vulnerable populations, even handing out snacks or doing laundry services. It is saddening that we have gotten to this point but we have reached the point where we must put protecting the vulnerable above risking running some potentially good volunteers or employees away. A pediatrician was exposed for molesting many very young patients. A well-known singer was accused of incest with his now grown daughter. A popular singer was accused of molesting a young girl. Numerous priests are exposed for sexual abuse of mostly boys. More and more teachers are being exposed for physically abusing their special needs students. Years ago, I was shocked and saddened when the much-admired and heroic Director of a Christian nonprofit was exposed as molesting a ten-year-old girl; when these allegations came out, he killed himself. I can go on and on.

Know Who Wants To Enter Your Life or Your Family

In these past few decades, high-profile cases of horrific crimes by young people have shown us that we need to do due diligence on the peers or partners our children show interest in. Years ago, a book was written about the case of a then fourteen-year-old girl who was seeing a boy who was nineteen. Her parents, opposed to their relationship, threatened to turn him in to the cops for statutory rape if he did not stop seeing her. Furious, he killed both her her mom and dad. There was a case of a fifteen-year-old girl who vanished; her mom suspected that she was with her older boyfriend. Thankfully, many months later, the girl was found safe but she remained brainwashed and traumatized for a long time. Years ago, a case of four "vampire killers" formed a gang and killed one of the member's parents. Her eighteen-year-old sister had found her parents dead and called cops. And most recently, we hear of two twelve-year-old girls who almost kill their best friend. There are numerous cases of friends and dating partners who prove to be destructive forces in the lives of our children, getting them into drugs, alcohol, and crime. It's true that we should be accepting and welcoming, but when it comes to impressionable children who are easily influenced, their company has to be screened for bad influences and predators. Now I know that many young people sneak out and do things behind their parents' back, but we need to do all we can do prevent these things from happening in the first place. We can do only so much, but we need to try and we owe it to them to do that. When the recent case of the two violent twelve-year-old girls came out, many people blamed the parents of the one girl who held the sleepover, asking things like, "Was it how they were raised?" or "Did anyone know about that character they were obsessed with?" or "Why were they allowed to walk into those woods when somethings could have happened to any of them?" But we don't know much of the story.

What This Tells Us About Human Nature

These many cases tell us that all of us are far more complex than we can ever know. The Bible tells us that "The human heart is deceitful and desperately wicked: Who can know it?" This means that we cannot even fully know ourselves, much less truly know others. Many people have said of those two girls after learning of their brutal murder attempt, "They are pure evil." But before this crime, everyone saw them as normal, ordinary children. Over and over, whether talking about murderers and abusers of any age, it has often been said, "He was so nice" or "She was so pleasant." I get tired of mental illness being scapegoated when these crimes make news. The factors in these crimes are complex: Decaying morals, a lessening value for all life, the entitled mentality of many of us, the abundance of mind-altering recreational and prescription drugs, illicit sex and violence in the media, and the availability of guns and knives. All we can do is know those who want to enter our lives in any way, whether personally or professionally. We need to also embrace the truth that those we want to enter the lives of also have this same right and responsibility to check us out. The reason that even the most horrific criminals look so ordinary? It's because this same evil exists in all of us! Most of us just have, by the grace of God and favorable circumstances and (possibly) skill in not getting caught, have not been caught doing anything that would label us as criminals. But, knowing this, we don't want to get paranoid and look for red flags where they don't exist, and run good people out of our lives. Yes, it's a tightrope that we walk, right?

An Open Letter To All Who Hold the Key (s) To Solving Open Crime or Missing Person Cases

You have, twice, see a neighborhood girls who the homeowner, who comes off to you as rather "strange," claims that he is just taking care of but who is not ever sent to school or anywhere else, for that matter. You have seen these girls in the back yard but no where else. Should you read anything into this? Would this have anything to do with one of those missing child (ren) cases or Amber Alerts that you have been hearing about in the news? One day a girl screams for help and looks out. Should you open up the door, let her out, and let her use your Smartphone, so she can call cops for help? You have only seconds to decide!

On some days, as you look outdoors, you see a man who wanders the sidewalks aimlessly wandering around and appearing to be dazed and unaware. There is a local case of a missing man in your area. You have heard stories that this person has been thrown out by his family and you feel sorry for him, but what can you do?

You have exclusive knowledge about a conversation, online or in-person, that you know can provide a clue (s) to move a death or criminal investigation forward or help find a missing person, whether in your area or in your social networks. But you have been told, "This is between you and me. I'm not even sure that I can confirm this. I can get in trouble if this gets out." You do not want to get this person in trouble, but something is not right and you "just know."

There was a recent shooting in your workplace. Everyone is tremendously upset about it, including you.  It has made the local news and the suspect's sketch has been released. You have seen defensive wounds on a man whom you work with at around the time when your male co-worker was found tragically murdered. He looks like the suspect in the sketch. On, dear, would that man be the type to do such a thing; how can you "rat on" such a nice, outgoing guy?

You live in an ordinary neighborhood like so many other middle-class neighborhoods. You and your family have moved there because it has been said to be one of the safest neighborhoods where you can raise children. For the sake of you four children, you and your spouse move there. Children can play in the streets and there are plenty of them to play with. An ideal place for families! Yet in your neighborhood you have noticed one house where apparently only one person lives there and while he seems nice and friendly enough, he seems "strange." You cannot make sense of your misgivings. You have, on certain occasions, seen a couple children in this man's front yard. Who can they be, children that he babysits? You know of a few missing children in your region. Is there any significance here?

You have been hearing and seeing all the news coverage about girls and women being sexually assaulted, raped, and one even being found murdered. Law enforcement (LE) are focusing only on one man whom they see as being possibly involved in all these cases. The sketch of the suspect resembles your beloved son and is too much to ignore. Your son lives with you but is often evasive about his whereabouts and activities. On, dear. What should you do, brush your misgivings off?

Your get along with your husband fairly well the few times he is home. However, he often exasperates you because he gets his mail forwarded to another state and when he brings his mail home, he will not let you touch it. You also can't get your husband to "come clean" about the $$$ that vanish out of your family account and who he talks to. You are aware of a local Social Security fraud investigation where the suspect has not been caught. What should you do about it?

You have heard about the case of the "wanted" robber in your state and he has been known to be armed as he has "held" up quite a few banks, terrifying people who were in the banks at those times. You take note of the sketch of this suspect, noticing with dismay that the person in this poster greatly resembles your nephew, who has had encounters with the law already. Should you mess with this and anger your relatives? If you "rat on" your nephew, his name and yours will make the newspapers. Your extended family would retaliate and make your life and that of your own family a living hell! What should you do?

You are scrolling through your Facebook homepage and then, for some reason, decide to do a Facebook search. You notice that one of the Facebook profiles belongs to a boy who looks like and whose age is listed as identical to those of a missing boy, according to his poster information which you have seen, even shared, on social networks. Is there anything to this and should the cops be notified of this?

You are very painfully aware of a murder victim's case. You are the lone witness of the crime. You helplessly watched the person's life be brought to an untimely end. You have never forgotten the awful images and the victim's pleas for his life. You know that authorities are looking for this murderer and the case has gone cold. You know the killer, who has told you to remain silent or you would be sorry. Are you going to be this person's next victim if you tell?

You sometimes hold parties in your home. A certain man enjoys to frequent your parties, bringing his camera and several girls, one who is quite a bit older than the others. This man has always been secretive about his activities and about the identities of these girls. You observe that they seem to be very focused on pleasing the man, but that they enjoy your parties. Are you to connect this with the case of a missing girl in your area?

You are in a marriage that you deem as a loving, happy one. Everyone else agrees with you. You have three children together and count yourself as blessed. Your marriage truly must have been a match made in heaven! you think often to yourself. One day, you turn on TV and listen to local news about two teenage girls who were raped and then murdered. What is this world coming to? you wonder with dismay. Then the suspect is pictured. The sketch looks like your own spouse! You go to bed filled with misgivings and cannot face your husband. Is this a co-incidence? How can I even THINK my loving husband is remotely capable of this? Should you contact your local police? What if your suspicions are wrong? But what if there is something to them?

I can come up with many other scenarios of instances where so many of us can hold a key or even the key that would help move a death, missing/unidentified or criminal investigation forward, or even solve a case. We all know that there are countless such investigations that are going on and their numbers only increase by the minute, as new investigations begin. Many investigations go on for months, for years and there are many that have been going on for decades and show no sign of getting solved. You probably know about and may even watch, whether regularly or sporadically, shows like John Walsh's "America's Most Wanted."

Behind every investigation, whether it be to find a missing person, to identify a crime victim, to determine why a deceased person has died, or to seek justice for a murdered person, are people who are hurting, devastated, and who want and need answers and peace. Families, friends and communities are forced to live without answers as to why a loved one is dead, who is responsible, to see the person be brought to justice, or see a missing loved one be brought home, whether safe and alive or identified as deceased so they can have a proper burial. When such questions linger, unanswered, it is pretty well impossible to focus on anything else or move forward with life.

If you follow the news, whether on television or online, or use social networks, you may have seen many appeals by families or their appointed spokespersons, who have make appeals to the public for answers. You may no doubt have seen the contact information for tips and information that are to be used for submitted tips for specific investigations. You may have heard the anguish in the voices of family members, the tears in their eyes, who have pled for anyone with any information, even suspected information, to come forward, to contact the shared tipline, and to know that you will remain anonymous as you do so.

You may be a frequent viewer of talk shows and even cable TV channels whose focus is true crime cases and investigations. If that is the case, you have likely seen anguished interviews with tearful family members or friends of missing or murdered people or crime victims/survivors, who are seeking for justice. In this case, you have heard the appeals: "We would do anything to have our loved one home again. We are missing our loved one. PLEASE, if you know anything at all or you suspect that something is not right, please call in with your tip. No piece of information is too small to help solve a case."

You may even be carrying a dark secret and you may be the only one who knows about it. You may know details of a crime that only the perpetrator (s) of a crime or an accomplice (s) can know. You say nothing because you don't want to lose your freedom. You may even have "skipped town," taking on an alias and starting life in another state or even in another country. If you told, you know what could happen. You could be put away in prison, even for life.

Why should you come forward and tell? For one thing, you would feel relief and gain a clear conscience. A clear conscience is priceless. You also can solve an investigation, bring a missing person home, identify a crime victim, end a family's nightmare, even save someone's life. Yes, doing the right thing often has consequences, but the consequences cannot compare to the consequennces of not doing what you know is right.

So why wait? You know what to do. Pick up your phone and dial 9-1-1 or the tipline in question or submit your tip in written form, on designated websites like John Walsh's "America's Most Wanted" or other related websites. Depending on any role you had in the case in question, you may face consequences. But you will be doing the right thing.

I realize this post is an appeal to anyone who has ANY information on cases that are open and currently under investigation by Law Enforcement (LE) or higher authorities. This post does not address the many more of us who have information on cases that have NOT been opened and on crimes where the criminals have not been caught. This kind of appeal would take another blog, actually a whole book. I plan a post, appealing to those of us who have information on cases that have yet to be opened.

https://tips.fbi.gov/

This is the webpage where you can submit online tips to the National FBI website for open and active cases that are under investigation. This site is also linked to state FBI offices, which you can contact for tips on cases in said state. The FBI investigates a BROAD range of crimes.

http://www.amw.com/report/tip/

This is the webpage to the site for John Walsh's America's Most Wanted. If you have tips or information on any fugitive or missing person, you can submit your tip online.

http://oig.ssa.gov/report-fraud-waste-abuse/

This is the webpage where you can report any witnessed or suspected form of Social Security fraud or abuse (including Medicare, SSI and other benefit types).  This is the official site for the Social Security Administration.

1-800-CRIME-TV

(1-800-274-6388)

You can also call this phone line with your tips or info.

1-800-THE-LOST

(1-800-843-5678)

You can call this phone line to report any tip or info that may lead to a missing child).

1-800-4-A-CHILD

(1-800-422-4453)

This is the hotline where you can call to get your questions answered about known or suspected child abuse.





Photo Courtesy of MorgueFile.com. Photo by deegolden This photo can be found here.

The Case That Is Fascinating Us

A number of months ago, a talented and attractive woman, accused of a savage murder, was on trial for her life. Her trial has been televised for the entire US to see. In being exposed to her trial on HLN, by default I found myself becoming gradually fascinated by her case. As with other cases that have captured national headlines, this case had salacious sex and scandal attached to it. In this defendant's trial, we who have followed this case have repeatedly heard a sex tape with racy, torrid content. We have heard witnesses who have had to testify of their intimate sexual experiences with the murder victim. We have heard the accused murderess tell lie after lie after lie and actually blame her victim for all her actions. She has cheapened the words abuse, domestic violence and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) by applying them to her experience without evidence. She even accused her victim of being a pedophile! Many of us have have witnessed the dirty, dishonest and often deliberate stalling tactics by this defendant's defense team. We have seen the heartbreak of the victim's family as they have been re-victimized again and again. They have had to hear their loved one be trashed by the defense and the defendant. They have had to hear about and see the gruesome autopsy photos reminding them (as if they need reminding) of the extremely cruel was their brother and loved one died. All of us, who have our own stories and who have followed this trial, have often been angered, disgusted and outraged by all this. So many people have been so obsessed by this trial that they have travelled out of state to visit the courthouse in Arizona. Especially around verdict time. This past Wednesday, May 8, this defendant was convicted. Her sentencing has still not been determined.

Why are we so fascinated, even obsessed, by this one case? Why are so many of us living through it and following every detail of this particular case? I'm sure most people know that I'm talking about the death penalty murder case of the State of Arizona vs. Jodie Arias. I'm sure that for many it is because of the extremely brutal way that the victim, Travis Alexander, died. He was stabbed 29 times and in places that were documented as "incompatible with survival." He was slit in the throat from ear to ear. He was shot in the head. Killed three ways. Either of these ways would have killed him. He SUFFERED when he was murdered, which was documented by the prosecution medical expert witness. Travis did not "go fast" and his murder did not happen quickly, like a mere shot in the head that would have of itself have killed him. His murder has deeply affected many of us. Many have been interested in this trial because they can identify with Travis's family through losing loved ones to murder or maybe they themselves survived attacks that had some features to Travis's murder. For all of you I'm certain this trial has been very triggering. Many people, in the US and worldwide, have been fascinated by this trial because, frankly, they have lived through it and found it a distraction from painful realities in their own lives. I have seen how so many of us are familiar with all the key players in this trial. Juan Martinez. I have seen one Facebook post or comment after another by "fans" of Juan who have proclaimed their near-worship of him. I have even seen posts by some asking about Juan's marital status! And Juan "fans" have been calling for Juan to become a State Governor or Judge! I'm seeing on Facebook and hearing in real life curses and slurs for the defense team, including Jennifer Wilmot and Curt Nurmi, as well as the defense witnesses. Not to mention death threats.

Yes, I know that there was equal and maybe even more intense obsession with the Casey Anthony case. I will never forget the national outrage, petitions, Facebook pages, Facebook "events" and countless storm of protests that erupted when Casey was acquitted of any involvement in the death of her small daughter, Caylee. What we do not realize, or forget, is that every day, there are countless other crime cases, including murder cases that happen all over the US or anywhere outside the US. Yet we have never heard of them; if we have, we do not take much interest in them. Why do certain cases grip our national and even worldwide attention? Why do so many of us live through them? Even taking off our jobs and spending time and money to travel to a courthouse? Even though we do not know the people involved in the fascinating case? To top it off, Miss Arias, AFTER her conviction, actually gave an interview on TV! A day later, we learn that she is placed in a psychiatric ward and is declared "incompetent." It seems that even as so many of us are outraged at not only the savage crime of Jodie, but also are equally outraged at her spiteful, deceitful and manipulative conduct afterward and up to present. Yes, our response to this type of conduct by a now convicted murderess is natural. But I wonder if many of us absorb ourselves in high-profile cases and live through them because it is so much more comfortable and safer than to face realities in our own lives that so many of us do not wish to face? It is so much easier, even more fun, to get made at and to disparage Miss Arias for her crime of murder and other misdeeds than to face our own "demons" in our own lives. Every murder and every heinous crime springs from thoughts that, if fed enough, become attitudes that we act on.

What separates murderers from victims? From non-murderers? If we have been following this case, we know that Travis, himself, and his siblings, we know that they endured early childhoods of neglect and deprivation. This was until their parents passed away and their Grandmother took them all in and raised them. Statistics tell us that many people who have endured childhood abuse or deprivation often become abusers or criminals themselves, or become involved in crimes. This clearly did not happen in the case of Travis or his siblings. Travis himself became a murder victim. Yes, people can be both victims and end up being criminals or parties to crimes. This happens in the cases of many abused wives, girlfriends or children who kill their abusers when they feel that they are trapped and that there is no other way out. This happens in cases where people, in their criminal activity, use more vulnerable people as accomplices or accessories (especially in cover ups or co-signings). Was Jodie abused or a victim? From all the evidence that was presented, I do not think so, but instead fits the profile of an abuser long before she murdered Travis. My Christian beliefs, according to the Bible, make it clear that in the eyes of God we are all criminal and capable of the worst of crimes, including murder. Jesus put anger on an equal footing with murder. Who among us has not been unreasonable angry? I know that I'm not immune to unjust anger and I do not believe anyone else is. Why are so many crimes, including murder, committed? We know people kill out of rage, jealousy, and greed. Truth be told, each of us will at some point or other struggle with one or more of these demons (I have!). It is the feeding of these impulses, as Jodie has done, that results in murder or other violent crimes. This same principle runs true in acting, or not acting on, impulses that could result in criminal activity, whether we are talking about murder or other violent crimes or other felonies like fraud, identity theft, embezzlement, larceny and the like. It all starts in the mind and depends on what we feed our minds on and what we expose ourselves to. It depends on what drives us, our impulses and our drives or our minds and hearts.


The trial of Jodie Arias is not over and the family of Travis still need public support and care as they suffer being re-victimized and make great personal sacrifices to travel back and forth from California where they live to Arizona where the trial for their loved one's murderess is being held.

http://www.travisalexanderjustice.com

A new memorial website has been set up for Travis, complete with photos from every stage of his life. There is a Guestbook where you can sign and leave messages of support for the Alexander family.

Tanisha Sorenson
ALS
700 E. Redlands Blvd. STE U304
Redlands, CA

This is the address that has been set up where you can mail the family letters, cards, even donations or other tokens of support. I encourage you to do what you can.

Travis Alexander Legacy Fund
2036 N. Gilbert Rd.
Suite 2-621
Mesa, AZ 85203

This is an another address where you can send cards, letters or donations, or other tokens of support to the family of Travis Alexander.

Banner Courtesy of Barb McNally