Examining the Causation of Crime: Man Stabbed to Death on White Rock Trail in Dallas

In 2015, ABC news depicts the story of a young man who hacks another person to death with a machete in a fit of rage (ABC, 2015). Although there were witnesses who also called the police, reportedly the man called the police on himself after the fact. He claimed he was enraged that he was recently evicted from his residence (ABC, 2015). The defendant has no previous violent history, though he was charged with burglary last year (ABC, 2015). Apparently, he formerly played football for Dallas Skyline High School in 2012 and ran away for three days (ABC, 2015).

 My impression was that the person must have pretty out of their mind to want to hack someone to death with a machete. That is a very violent and up-close type of murder, in contrast, to say a shooting which you can do from yards away. I also felt in the video news report there was an emphasis made on the fact that the man was generally well-liked, mannered, and played football (ABC, 2015). I felt the emphasis on his football history was a little out of place. I am assuming they mentioned it in connection with a previous story that made the media involving the man disappearance from a football game a few years back. I think they inserted this information to indicate a pattern of bizarre behavior. 

The purpose of the storied portrayed is to inform the public of the recent murder, but also inform them of the facts about the murderer and victim. The crime was portrayed as random or unexpected. It was also portrayed as an act of rage. The criminal justice system in Texas was portrayed as harsh. The report mentions that in Texas there is a high probability of the death penalty.

The defendant was recently kicked out of his house and had previously been arrested for burglary. This seems to indicate to me there was some financial struggle that was weighing on him. This expression of financial strain in conjunction with his admission that he was enraged because of the loss of his residence makes radical criminology theory seem like a plausible explanation of his behavior. Radical criminology theory blamed the causation of crime on the unequal distribution of wealth and power in society (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 97). This theory argued that those who disenfranchised were more likely to have pent up frustrated feelings that lead them to crimes like rape, theft, and murder (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 97).

Another potential causation of this crime might be in an imbalance in neurotransmitters, especially serotonin. Serotonin inhibits the effect of “irritating experiences that might otherwise result in anger and aggression” (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 83). Low serotonin levels can result from something as simple like ingesting toxic pollutants like “lead and manganese” or from a genetic variation, such as men with an extra Y chromosome (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 83). I suggested the imbalance of chemicals because he has no previous violent history, is generally regarded as a likable. An imbalance would account for a sudden deviation from that pattern of behavior.

Examining the Causation : New Details Emerge In Probe Of Oregon College Shooting

In 2015, the CBS News reported on the investigation into Chris Harper-Mercer and the massacre he has been deemed responsible for, at the Umpqua Community College, in Oregon. Although the article reports briefly about the crime, the victims, and the investigators, the focus of the report is on information pertaining to the shooter (CBS, 2015). Apparently, Mercer left behind a multi-page typed note that media has since been depicted his “manifesto” (CBS, 2015). The media describes the contents of the note as the “philosophical ranting of someone who was mad at the world” (CBS, 2015). It also stated that the contents of his note reveal Mercer had a low opinion of himself and his place in the world (CBS, 2015). Moreover, the shooter's social media pages suggest he was interested in the “IRA, frustrated by traditional organized religion and tracked other mass shootings” (CBS, 2015). Reportedly one social media post even suggests he was impressed with the “limelight” that other mass murderers had received for massacre shootings (CBS, 2015).

In the main picture in the article is of the police standing solemn-faced as they stand guard outside the apartment of the shooter. In conjunction with the image, the text in the article presents the criminal justice system as competent, well informed, and vigilant in their search for answers and possible motivation. Though they indicate as of yet there is no connection to any outside involvement or specific reasoning found, the information found and presented seems to suggest that the shooter had premeditated the crime for a long time (CBS, 2015). There is also the implication from the bulletproof vest that the shooter expected to be met with equal force and in a shoot-off with police (CBS, 2015).

Overall the article makes you feel as though the shooter was mentally unwell previous to the shooting. An example: In the first paragraph they cite, depressed and angry (CBS, 2015). Then later reporting they report he had feelings of low self-worth and/or feelings of hopelessness in regard to his place in the world (CBS, 2015).

From a psychological perspective, crime is explained on the individual level, as the result of dysfunctional thought processes and/or behavioral patterns, and/or personality characteristics (Conklin, 2008). The psychological theories that can explain the Umpqua Community College Shootings could be the “psychotic offender”, or a personality “trait theory” which resulted in a “rampage killing”. A personality trait theory perspective would indicate that certain features of personality may contribute to a persistent pattern of behavior that leads one to trouble with the law (Conklin, 2008). Whereas the psychotic patient may be driven impulsively to criminality by the onset of delusions or grandiose ideas (Schmalleger, 2014).

In this example, the investigators reported that the shooter had previously joined the US military in 2008 but was discharged after he failed to meet the military’s standards in boot camp (CBS, 2015). Perhaps this personal failure, in conjunction with “the personal inability, to tolerate frustration without resorting to aggression and violence” could have contributed to his violent behavior (Conklin, 2008). This would be concurrent with both “life course perspective” suggests that turning events in people’s lives can contribute to criminality and psychological theories that indicate a dysfunctional personality features are at the root of criminality.

Being that the crime has multiple victims, is not related to domestic or gang homicide, follows (although not immediately) the discharge from military, and involves a mentally unwell shooter who later dies on the scene, the reported crime fits the description of a rampage killing (Conklin, 2008). Unfortunately, many of these rampage killings involve victims who are unrelated to the cause of the rampage, such as students and teachers (Conklin, 2008). But, the most distinctive features of rampage killings is that the shooters are previously viewed as mentally unstable or mentally unwell and die either by suicide or engaging in activity that will likely kill them (i.e. shooting at an officer) (Conklin, 2008). Thus, it possible, given the information, that the killer was mentally ill, perhaps psychotic, but obviously depressed, filled with self-hatred, and based on his actions-ready to die.

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