The Casey Anthony Case - Research Paper Example

Criminology: The Casey Anthony Case, was it perpetuated Due to Psychological, Sociological or Biological Criminal Causation Donna Purcell Order 594791 University Abstract The following information attempts to answer the question of psychological, sociological or biological causation in the murder trial of Casey Anthony. The information defines psychological, sociological, and biological theories and if any or all or a combination of these applies to this case. Dr. Michael Welner analyses the case through psychiatric clues. Dr. Jan Garavaglia gives an account of why Casey was charged and why the death of Caylee Anthony was determined to be a homicide. Dr. Juliann Mitchell, PhD and Dr. Stephen Diamond, both forensic psychologists, give their analysis of the case and determining psychological factors. Finally, information from wordpress.com raises the question of feminism and how it affects today’s new “evolved” family and the dangers that exist. Keywords: psychological, sociological, biological, causation, sociopath fillicide Criminology: The Casey Anthony Case, was it perpetuated Due to Psychological, Sociological or Biological Criminal Causation “Not Guilty” was the verdict handed down in the Casey Anthony murder trial on July 5, 2011. It’s been four months since the trial, but still current in the minds of mothers, fathers, and concerned Americans. “After 33 days of testimony, 400 pieces of evidence and more than 90 witnesses, the jury in the Casey Anthony case reached a verdict (Lohr, 2011).” After only one day of deliberations, Anthony was found not guilty of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee. She was convicted of misleading law enforcement. The case appeared to be circumstantial; however, Anthony was seen as a self-centered, loose moral woman who was a cold-blooded killer. The motive, portrayed by the prosecutors, showed she would have a carefree life without her daughter (Lohr, 2011). Did she kill her daughter Caylee? And if so, would it be attributed to Psychological, Sociological, or Biological criminal causation theories or could it be a combination of these theories (Rawlins, 2005)? Dr. Lionel C.M. VonFrederick Rawlins clarifies the three main theories of criminal causation. The psychological theory shows people committing crimes because of personality imbalances formed in early childhood. These would later show up as antisocial behavior, involvement in drinking, drugs, reckless driving, problems in education, employment and relationships (Rawlins, 2005). The sociological theory holds that people commit crimes when the law, which is controlled by the rich and powerful, says that certain behaviors are illegal. It also states that if people are controlled by their environment and their close relationships, then their behavior can be changed by improving the quality of their social world (Rawlins, 2005). This would include such things as family, school, contact with peer groups, workplace, the community and social contacts as a whole. The biological theory holds that people commit crimes due to genetic, biochemical, or neurological abnormalities. History documents a time when a person who was extremely ugly was seen as a potential criminal and locked up to protect society (Rawlins, 2005). Fillicide is defined by Dr. Stephen Diamond, a Forensic Psychologist on Anger, Madness and Destructive Behavior, as “the killing of a child by his or her parent (Diamond, 2011).” Motives vary in each situation. It could be a well-intended mercy killing of a sick or suffering child, accidental fillicide during severe abuse or neglect, angry retribution fulfilling a self-serving solution of an unwanted or socially inconvenient child, or just a case of paranoid delusions and acute psychosis. Its up to the clinical and forensic psychologist to determine what could make a mother murder her own child (Diamond, 2011). According to Dr. Juliann Mitchell, PhD, “Casey Anthony is a sociopathic, superficial sensationalist (Mitchell, 2008).” Within the mental health community, she is someone with an antisocial personality disorder or “sociopath.” Dr. Mitchell points out that it is typical for a sociopath to follow a path of deceitful or illegal behavior. They also take great joy in taking from others and any tears you might see are because they were found out, not because they felt any remorse. To them family, friends and anybody they know are expendable as they bleed people dry and move on. Sociopaths are also narcissistic and exhibitionistic. It’s the chronic “me” syndrome and they will stop at nothing to get what they want. Casey had no high school education, no job, no direction or goals and no desire for any of it. Therefore, she lived off of others. A sociopath always blames their problems on others and never takes responsibility for their own actions. They are very easily bored and restless which makes day to day care of a child unacceptable. They create their own reality, and Casey Anthony’s reality did not include her daughter Caylee (Mitchell, 2008). A sociopath values freedom more than anything else. Once arrested and accused she was no longer in charge of her life. The typical sociopath lives by “do unto others before they do unto you (Mitchell, 2008).” Dr. Mitchell points out that while listening to the tapes of the interview, Casey continually lied about her daughter’s disappearance and expresses no emotion when talking about Caylee’s whereabouts (Mitchell, 2008). They are, furthermore, incapable of staying in love, their sex lives are impersonal, and they are sometimes bisexual. They further are incapable of understanding how their behavior affects others. Its all about survival and never trusting anyone (Mitchell, 2008). With the information we have covered so far psychological causation would be the theory affecting Casey Anthony. Looking at the facts in the case as viewed by Dr. G. Jan Garavaglia, who conducted the autopsy on Caylee, a determination was made that she was murdered by her mother Casey. Dr. Caravaglia came to this conclusion based on other similar cases and the fact that Caylee had duct tape on her face among other things (Adams, 2011). The doctor who examined the body ruled that the death was likely homicide because her disappearance was not reported until one month after she went missing. She also stated that Caylee’s body was hidden in a plastic bag in a wooded area. The most incriminating evidence found was the duct tape on her face. There would never be a reason to place duct tape on a child’s face (Adams, 2011). The doctor stated that Caylee’s bones did not show signs of antemortem trauma and the exact cause of death could not be determined. High levels of chloroform found in the trunk of Casey’s car could have been a determining factor (Adams, 2011). In an analysis by Dr. Michael Welner on June 3, 2011, an ABC News Consultant top forensic psychiatrist, Casey was “lounging aimlessly with her boyfriend, entering a hot body contest, carousing, and engaged in other remarkably unremarkable activities (Welner, 2011).” During this time Casey was totally unaffected by Caylee’s absence and had given it such a low degree of priority, that it shows how unattached she was to her missing child (Welner, 2011). Mothers kill their own children sometimes while attempting their own suicide. They may be psychotic or irrational; drugs could be involved, overwhelmed by their own incompetent childcare, to spite the child’s father, or feelings of powerlessness. Ironically they would not put them up for adoption, however, they will make them disappear (Welner, 2011). The most common reason for mothers who kill is out of anger and resentment that alienates them from the child. Dr. Welner notes that Casey’s lying psychosis is a possible diagnosis, but that narcissistic and borderline personalities lie as well. It is the forensic psychologist who has to determine whether the liar is addressing trouble with the law or if it’s a lifestyle choice (Welner, 2011). The defense contended that Caylee’s grandfather, George Anthony, who was a former homicide detective, started sexually abusing Casey at the age of eight years old and had helped Casey hide Caylee’s death. If this were true it would interject the possibility of sociological causation. However, it is entirely possible that this was just a fabrication by Casey to throw suspicions from herself to her father. If we look totally at the information submitted by the defense, there could be a combination of psychological and sociological causation factors involved (Diamond, 2011). Dr. Diamond points out that Casey’s boyfriend describes her as a chronic liar. She stole money from her parents and one of her female friends prior to Caylee’s disappearance. She didn’t want to accept full care of Caylee, pushing much of it off on her mother (Diamond, 2011). In conclusion, from the facts of the case Casey Anthony is seen as a “sociopath” with an antisocial, narcissistic personality disorder that includes interpersonal manipulation. Chronic lying is a diagnostic conclusion of this type of personality, however, politicians can sometimes have the same personality disorder (Welner, 2011). There are some studies that claim feminism has led to increased child abuse and neglect. Casey Anthony lived with her parents, was a single mother, and the father was not on the scene. A recent study of child abuse and neglect shows an increased risk for children living in a home where an unrelated boyfriend resides. It is obvious that psychological causation was the reason for Casey Anthony’s behavior and given the facts in the case sociological causation could apply as well (Wordpress.com, 2011). However, there does not appear to be any biological factors of causation. Feminism has been around for decades and the female role has definitely changed, however, we are still shocked when mothers neglect, abuse and kill their children. The changing role of mothers may or may not play a significant role in the new “evolution” of the family. It is important to know that encouraging women to make better choices about men and sexual activity will protect children both born and unborn in the future (Wordpress.com, 2011). References: Adams, Cindy. (10 June 2011). Dr. G. Jan Garavaglia: Duct tape on Caylee Anthony’s face “red flag” for homicide, 1-4. Web. 09 November 2011. http://examiner.com/. Diamond, Stephen Dr. PhD. (29 May 2011). Did Casey Kill Caylee? A Clinical And Forensic Psychologist Comments on the Case (Again), 1-3. Web. 09 November 2011. http://psychologytoday.com/. Mitchell, Juliann Dr. PhD. (19 October 2008). Casey Anthony: Profile of a Sociopath, 1-3. Web. 09 November 2011. http://blogcritics.org/. Rawlins, Lionel C. M. VonFrederick Dr. (November 2005). Theories of Crime Causation, 1. Web. 09 November 2011. http://vonfrederick.com/. Welner, Michael, Dr. (20 June 2011). Casey Anthony Trial: Psychiatric Clues of An Accused Child Killer, 1-4. Web. 09 November 2011. http://abcnews.go.com/US/. Wordpress.com. (05 July 2011). Wintry Knight. How feminism led to increased Child abuse and child neglect, 1-3. Web. 09 November 2011. http://wordpress.com/. Read More