NCJ Number
64169
Journal
JOURNAL OF SOCIAL THERAPY Volume: 5 Dated: (1959) Pages: 270-275
Date Published
1959
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE CASES OF 36 AMERICAN INDIANS INCARCERATED AT LEAVENWORTH ON MANSLAUGHTER AND MURDER CHARGES ARE DISCUSSED; USE OF ALCOHOL, BEHAVIOR PATTERNS, AGE, AND PSYCHIATRIC CHARACTERISTICS ARE EMPHASIZED.
Abstract
IN ALL CASES, THE HOMICIDAL ACT WAS PERFORMED WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL WAS ACTUELY INTOXICATED. ALCOHOL SEEMED TO TRIGGER AN ACUTE OUTBURST OF HOSTILE, AGGRESSIVE, OVERWHELMING IMPULSES. THE ACTUAL HOMICIDAL ACT IN 90 PERCENT OF THE CASES WAS AN ERUPTION OF A VERY PRIMITIVE TYPE OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR. THE PRIMARY METHOD WAS DIRECT PERSONAL ASSAULT WITH FIST, CLUB, FEET, OR SIMILAR DIRECT VIOLENCE RATHER THAN INDIRECT ATTACK SUCH AS A SHOT FROM A GUN. THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO DESTROY, TEAR APART, AND COMPLETELY DESTROY THE VICTIM'S BODY. THE VIOLENCE DID NOT CONFINE ITSELF TO THE VICTIM IF OTHER OBJECTS OR INDIVIDUALS WERE CLOSE BY. A NUMBER OF CASES SHOWED SEXUAL IMPLICATIONS. ADDITIONAL FEATURES IN SOME CASES SUGGESTED SIMILARITY TO ACUTE CATATONIC REACTION FOLLOWING THE CRIME. THE MEDIAN AGE OF THE OFFENDER WAS 35 YEARS AT THE TIME OF THE OFFENSE. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF SENTENCE FOR ALL OF THE CASES IS CURRENTLY 23 YEARS. THE MAJORITY OF OFFENDERS HAD AN INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT BETWEEN 90 AND 110; MEDIAN GRADE EQUIVALENT WAS 3 YEARS. BOTH RECORDS AND INTERVIEWS INDICATED THAT MOST OF THE OFFENDERS HAD LIVED A SIMPLE SCHIZOID ADJUSTMENT PRIOR TO THE CRIME. THEY WERE QUIET, PASSIVE, AND WITHDRAWN. ALL OF THEM SHOWED INADEQUATE OR DEFICIENT GOAL FORMATIONS AND POORLY SUSTAINED ACHIEVEMENT DRIVES. THIS BEHAVIOR PATTERN WAS MAINTAINED AFTER INCARCERATION (I.E., FEW HAD ANY RELEASE PLANS OR GOALS). MOST COULD BE LABELED CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT PERSONS WITH WEAK EGO DEFENSES WHO ARE RELEASED FROM SUPEREGO CONTROL THROUGH ALCOHOL PRESENT MARKED VIOLENT BEHAVIOR PATTERNS. STUDIES OF SIMILAR GROUPS WHO HAVE COMMITTED HOMICIDE ARE SUGGESTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON PERSONS OF THE SPECIFIED PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE. (LWM)