Between the time period of 1989 and 1990, the bodies of seven middle aged men: Richard Mallory, David Spears, Charles Carskaddon, Troy Burress, Charles Humphreys, Peter Siems and Walter Antonio were found dead in Central Florida. All seven men were victims of serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a middle aged woman. So what possibly could have led a 37-year-old woman like Wuornos to murder not only one but seven men? That is a question that is difficult to answer. However, looking at Wuornos’s life in totality, there are three main theories that explains why she may have murdered her victims. Those theories are Psychological, Strain, and Rational Choice Theory.
Steven Barkman, author of “Criminology a Sociological Understanding” stated, “modern Psychoanalytic explanations for crime say delinquency and crime ascend from internal disturbances developing in early childhood because of interaction problems between parents and children” (1957). Under the psychodynamic theory of crime, due to traumatic incidents and experiences that Wuornos was exposed to in her past, one could argue that she was mentally ill from a young age. Most criminals that commit crimes usually have a number of mood disorders, these disorders ultimately turn in to rage, depression, social isolation and narcissism. A common disorder found in children is conduct disorder. A …show more content…
A person’s intelligence or IQ can be a determining factor when it comes to crime. Although it is a theory that has been controversial and not favored by many, researchers believe that one’s lack of intelligence may cause them to commit a crime. (Barkan,1997) Book wise, Wuornos was not the smartest. In comparison to her peers, Wuornos had a low IQ and she suffered hearing loss, vision problems and started having trouble with school. She had an IQ of 81 which was little over 70, the number that is accepted as mental retardation (“Blanco”,
Steven Barkman, author of “Criminology a Sociological Understanding” stated, “modern Psychoanalytic explanations for crime say delinquency and crime ascend from internal disturbances developing in early childhood because of interaction problems between parents and children” (1957). Under the psychodynamic theory of crime, due to traumatic incidents and experiences that Wuornos was exposed to in her past, one could argue that she was mentally ill from a young age. Most criminals that commit crimes usually have a number of mood disorders, these disorders ultimately turn in to rage, depression, social isolation and narcissism. A common disorder found in children is conduct disorder. A …show more content…
A person’s intelligence or IQ can be a determining factor when it comes to crime. Although it is a theory that has been controversial and not favored by many, researchers believe that one’s lack of intelligence may cause them to commit a crime. (Barkan,1997) Book wise, Wuornos was not the smartest. In comparison to her peers, Wuornos had a low IQ and she suffered hearing loss, vision problems and started having trouble with school. She had an IQ of 81 which was little over 70, the number that is accepted as mental retardation (“Blanco”,