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| Paramedics Corner: Criminal Behavior |
By: Gary Carmack, Ambulance Director
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Posted: Saturday, January 10, 2009 7:18 pm
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Gary Carmack
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Let’s face it, crime intrigues people. Sometimes it scares us, angers us, even makes us sick, but; people like the mysterious and the unknown. Who did it? Why? The popular TV shows are testimony of this fascination we have…CSI, Cold Cases, and too many police shows to name (My favorites were always Crossing Over Jordan, Colombo, and Monk). Yet, we as a people and a civilization…continue to ponder why people kill, rape, abuse, take mind altering substances, and we are very interested in the crimes; however understanding it and fixing it remains the problem that vexes us all. We are no closer to a definite answer now then we were thousands of years ago when humans asked the very same questions.
Those of us who choose to believe what the Bible tells us may simply accept that Satan and evil currently rule the world until Jesus Christ returns. When one looks at the likes of Hitler, Stalin, Hussein, war, terrorism; and the corruption in government, politics and those in high power it is easy to believe that perhaps evil does rule the earth.
We now have hate crimes (which by the way is nothing new, just study what we did to the Indians and the slaves a mere few generations ago in this country, and then what the Nazi’s did to the Jews), and terrorism. None of this is new. Nothing seems to stop it all. It appears the more rigid laws passed in an attempt to catch and stop these criminals the worse things get. Actually many of these laws affect the honest citizen much more so than the bad guys.
Academia studies crime and attempts to answer these quandaries. Psychology, sociology, and criminology disciplines all offer their interpretations; which often only frustrate or even angers the general public, because the answers are very complex and full of ambiguity.
By now some of the readers are probably thinking: OK, what is the answer to all of this? First of all I like the “Psychosocial” approach to the why, and I think that the problem is a very complex combination of many factors. In simple form I think that criminals are “made” if you will, not born, although with that said there may be some behavioral traits of genetic origin that along with a heredity and environment combination may result in the making of a criminal. That is, I believe that violence, victimization and perverse behavior slowly, to an individual with certain behavioral traits may steadily develop certain individuals into becoming so accustom to violence and crime that the person becomes hardened, or cold for want of a better term. Does this make an excuse for crime, of course not? Crime is usually an intentional act committed by the individual.
What should be done different, first of all any criminal committing violent acts against persons: rape, murder, child molestation, serious violence, should be; if proven without a doubt guilty, removed from society…permanently. Unless new evidence like DNA or some other evidence were to cast doubt on the situation. But, far too often hard-core—violent individuals are paroled back to rape, molest or kill again. I would be very careful with this however, and insure that every single aspect was carefully investigated. Far too often innocent people are placed in prison, and this must not occur.
Secondly, do research and attempt to help children who are abused, witness perverse activity and violence often in their life. Spend more time in this area. The government of this country spends tremendous amounts of money in a war against drugs. A war that has failed and will continue failing miserably. Don’t quit on the fight against drugs, but focus on dangerous drugs and helping people; form community narcotic groups and so forth and allocate some funds to assist these kids and hopefully avert them from slipping into the darkness of the sociopath or psychopath. Putting kids or any citizen in prison for drugs is a failure and probably creates more true criminals. Some will debate that the drugs cause this activity; however, these kids are already in trouble and turn to alcohol and drugs in a feeble attempt to escape. If you study many rapist and serial killers they will tell you they went on alcohol and drug binges to escape the depression and reality of their horrible deeds.
Spend more money on alcohol education to prevent abuse of this substance. Most all violent crimes involve alcohol. More, many more deaths, acts of violence, out of control hospital cost, and crimes are a product of alcohol than we care to admit. Somehow it makes us feel better to attack drugs. Could it be because we failed in the “alcohol war” a long time ago? Is that foreshadowing of things to come on the “war” against drugs?
The government should provide funding for educational opportunities for the women and men on the streets fighting crime daily. The police officer makes poor wages in many areas of the country. Many of these brave individuals here in our county can’t even afford health insurance. The government must provide improved wages and benefits for these officers. The government should also provide the opportunity for education in law, sociology, psychology, criminology, community policing and other related areas and then provide the appropriate compensation for the officers.
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; and put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20)
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