Criminology: Ted Bundy's Crimes - Case Study Example

 Criminology Case Study: Ted Bundy Introduction Criminology, particularly homicide cannot be discussed in the 20TH Century without mentioning the name of Theodore Robert Cowell, commonly known as Ted Bundy (Beller, 2011). Born in 1946, November 11 to Louise Cowell, Ted Bundy developed into one of the most notorious serious killers within United States. At the time of his death, Bundy had confessed to perpetrating the murder of about thirty-six females, most of whom were strikingly similar to her college girlfriend Stephanie Brooks. This case study provides more insight on the background of Ted Bundy, with special emphasis on the hypothesis that his murderous behavior may have been somewhat set off by his difficult childhood. At the same time, the case study employs some criminal behavior theories such as the social structure theory in bringing out the argument that Ted Bundy’s behaviors may have been prompted by the background and environment where he was raised. Ted Bundy’s Crimes Going by the number of states where most of his victims came from, it is undeniable to say that Ted Bundy cast his net of charm and intelligence quite wide. In as much as he confessed to murdering thirty-six females, most of the investigators on the case have overtime reaffirmed that the number may be extremely high. In fact, some sources made it known that Ted Bundy may have participated in the demise of more than one hundred females from 1974 to 1978 when the established order put an end to his homicidal and brutal act. At the time of his sentencing, the authorities strongly believed that Ted Bundy was responsible for the disappearance of young female girls in Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Vermont and Utah. The only set back nevertheless was the fact that they were unable to patch up strong evidence to file against Bundy, as some of the victims’ bodies were not recovered and have never been since then (Dye, 2015). Ted Bundy’s acquaintances and relatives have reiterated in the past that whereas he faced some challenges while growing up, they did not witness any exceptionally precarious sign that would have pointed out the vicious act in him. This is essentially because he lived a fairly normal life until the year 1974, when he cut off all contacts and began the monstrous deed. Ted Bundy’s Background and Childhood Come to think of it, what might have made an individual who effectively went through the American education system find pleasure in raping and beating young and industrious females to death? According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), individuals who were brought up by single parents always commit approximately 43% of murders. That hypothesis therefore points out that the physical and emotional neglect Ted Bundy went through given the absence of a strong fatherly figure in his life may have contributed to his line of action to a certain degree. Apart from the humiliation that Ted Bundy faced for the failure of his biological father coming on board, it is believed that the environment where he grew up played a role in shaping his insight on life. The actions of his grandfather Simon Cowell for example are perceived to have motivated his behavior in a great way (Corpus, 1989). It is understood for example that Simon Cowell was a man who could not keep his volatile temper in check, a factor that contributed to Ted Bundy growing up as a fearful young boy, instead of a confident and an enigmatic individual. At the same time, it is held that Simon Cowell, who was the father to Louise Cowell; Ted Bundy’s mother was a totalitarian bully who disliked almost all religions without any particular reason. This is corroborated by fact that he had a dislike for both Jews and Catholic Christians (Corpus, 1989). The fact that Simon Cowell was a racist might similarly have affected Bundy’s behavior, for Simon clearly disregarded people of black origin, as well as Italians. Some of Samuel’s actions such as continuously beating his wife Eleanor Cowell, to an extent that she had to attend routine therapy sessions in order to find a way to put up with him cannot be swept under the carpet either. Growing up, Ted Bundy must have witnessed a lot of uncalled for events that might have prompted his actions. As described in one of the interviews he had before his execution, Ted Bundy asserts that his grandfather Simon Cowell was not a fan of family pets. This corroborated by his doing to repeatedly beat the family dog and their neighbor’s cat, animals that he often held by the tail and oscillated repeatedly (Corpus, 1989). Samuel Cowell undeniably exposed Ted Bundy to physical assault, an event that is confirmed by his decision to throw one of his daughters over the staircase. That notwithstanding, one of the factors that Samuel exposed Ted Bundy to, and went to have significant influence on him was his addiction to pornography. In his last interview with Dr. James Dobson, which was recorded, Ted Bundy opened up to the fact that pornography greatly affected his thoughts and ideologies on life. This is precisely because he began accessing soft-core pornography at the tender age of twelve, after being exposed by his grandfather; Samuel Cowell. The only disadvantage is that the more he got exposed to pornographic materials, the more he demanded for explicit, graphic and harder materials to aid him in satisfying his needs. Ted Bundy confessed that in as much as the harder pornographic materials provided him with additional excitement, he developed a new obsession, which was the urge to replicate the content of the pornographic materials, as he believed such would have provided him with excessive pleasure. In as much as Ted Bundy did not out rightly blame his actions on pornography, all the evidence pointed out to the fact that the action shaped and molded his behavior. This is because he preferred intense pornography, which involved sexual violence. Bundy attested to the fact that hatred and lack of remorse developed in him as a result of the violent pornography. With the hatred, a lot of fantasies developed, most of which he found extremely difficult to hold back. In the course of the interview, Ted Bundy admitted that in as much as he tried to keep the imaginations at bay, the feeling became more intense and alcohol, another product that he was exposed to at an early age did the rest (Corpus, 1989). This is essentially because it took the remorse away, and with that the restraints that were holding him back were broken, an event that resulted in him committing his first murder without showing any compunction. The fact that his background and childhood played a role in the viscous doing is further corroborated by the fact that Ted Bundy always regained his normal sense after raping and beating the life out of his victims. The debate on the impact of the background of an individual in determining how he or she behaves in the future has been active for a substantial duration now. Some entities believe that such an ideology is an excuse to justify most of the behaviors demonstrated by criminals after taking part in heinous crimes, most of which are unforgivable and incomprehensible. Nonetheless, it is imperative to take note of such developments, particularly because they make it easy for criminologists in solving cases, and at the same time helps the society at large in tackling the issue from its foundation, as such a strategy would come in handy in making sure that the public comprises of mindful people. Criminal Behavior Theories As it stands, several theories have been developed that help criminologists understand the dynamics and logistics of crimes. In as much as some of the theories are not common, quite a number of them have been subjected to research and currently play a significant role in criminal studies (Regis University). Basically, it is imperative to note that criminologists depend on various disciplines to aid them in analyzing cases, and at the same time understanding criminal behavior; such include biology, anthropology, sociology and psychology. The combination of all the disciplines results in theories some of which depend on historical philosophies, while others depend on current ideologies. Sociological Theory: The sociological theory for example, argues that individuals normally have clear conscience, and that the decision of someone to take part in crime is as a result of several issues. Such include the social status and the background within which an entity operates as well as his level of academics (Regis University). In as much as Ted Bundy had a somewhat effective education, the discussion above has highlighted the role that the society and environment had on his perception of crime and life as a whole. Consequently, it can be concluded that the life and times of Ted Bundy, are in line with the basic principles of the sociological theory. Psychological Theory: According to the psychological theory, the psychology of an individual is integral in his or her insight on crime. Those with appropriate childhood experiences are prospective to develop into resourceful citizens while those with traumatizing childhood experiences are likely to hold on to such events, and find comfort in crime, for they believe that it is their only way out (Regis University). The section above has illustrated to length the manner in which Ted Bundy had a difficult childhood, which prevented him from experiencing complete cognitive development. This might have contributed to Ted Bundy’s line of action, as his psychological status is likely to have been shaped by the negative events that took place in his life. Rational Choice Theory: The victimized actor under the rational choice theory is one who perpetrates crime on the basis that the society has been unfair to him (Regis University). This can similarly apply to the case of Ted Bundy, as he decided to take the lives of young females who shared similar attributes as Samantha Brooks, his former girlfriend. Conclusion It is held that as the tree normally grows to the direction upon which the twig is bent. In criminal studies, this implies those individuals who are subjected to unfortunate childhood and living standards may view crime as their only way out and indulge in it. Taking Ted Bundy’s case for example, he committed some of the most vehement and incomprehensible acts. Additionally, his childhood and background is prospective to have prompted him, for he showed no remorse in his actions, thus killing well over fifty females within a duration of four years from 1974-1978. Whereas criminology aims to understand the dynamics of crime and prevent it, it is imperative for the society to install mechanism that avert some of these wrongdoings from their roots, particularly by making sure it brings the best out of all who reside within it, for that is its responsibility. References Beller, L. (2011). The Making and Unmaking of a Criminal. The Insight. Accessible at: http://insight.thechicagoschool.edu/2011/headline/the-making-and-unmaking-of-a-criminal/ Corpus, L. (1989). What We Learned from Ted Bundy. The Forerunner. Accessible at: http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/X0332_Ted_Bundy.html Dye, L. (2015). Study: Bad Youth Shapes Murderers. Abc News. Accessible at: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=97641&page=1&singlePage=true Monacelli, A. (2012). Murderous Children: 12-Year-Old Cristian Fernandez Killed His 2-Year-Old Brother. Accessible at: http://antonia-monacelli.hubpages.com/hub/Murderous-Children-Cristian-Fernandez Regis University (n.d). Varying Theories on Crime. Accessible at: http://criminology.regis.edu/criminology-programs/resources/crim-articles/varying-theories-on-crime Read More