CRIMINAL PROFILING

Criminal Profiling

Introduction

Causality is difficult to prove and it is known in criminology. Carol Wuornos' future, in many ways mapped out before her birth. Aspects of her behavior, character, and personality were formed from moment of her conception in the womb. She received aggression, propensity for alcoholism, and below average IQ through DNA of her parents. The environment in which she was born was unlikely to improve any of her inherited features. Unluckily, Aileen was born in a family of secrets and contradictions. Her peers, family, neighbors, and school derogated her. She never learned to the affirmation of group action that comes from a people's attachment with their society. The value of individual, property, and self was also not on her learning list. Growing negative characteristics and habits instead of positive ones, never learning societal norms, inheriting annihilating traits - either through environment into which she was born or through the genetics - formed her much more likely than her peers to engage in aberrant crime and behavior (Mednick, 2000)

Discussion

Aileen Wuornos was born as Aileen Carol Pitman in Detroit, Michigan, on February 29, 1956. She is famously known as the first woman serial killer of America. She killed seven men in one year and claimed all murders as killing in her self defense while working as a prostitute.

Her mother Diane Wuornos married Leo Dale Pittman who was an unpleasant man. Pittman had become tired of Diane and abused her emotionally and physically on regular basis. Before he left for the last time he had beaten Diana viciously (Russell, 2002). Diane was pregnant when Pittman left her with a baby son Keith.

In the year 1956, Aileen Wuornos was born. When she was only nine months old, her mother deserted her two children. Both the children Aileen and Keith were adopted by her grandparents Lauri and Britta Wuornos. Both the children thought that their grandparents are their natural of biological parents and also believed that her mother Diane was their older sister. They also conceived Barry (12 years older than Aileen) and Lori (three years older than Aileen) as their siblings. Later, they knew the truth about their biological parents.

At the age of ten she began to shoplift and smoke. By age 11, she had become habitual liar. Her peers frightened by the unpredictable temper. She was referred as “Jekyll and Hyde” a dual personality by many people who know. She had very few friends because of her volcanic rage, as well as extreme mood swings.

Aileen became pregnant at the age of 14. Aileen never found her son and hoped his son would never know about her mother. From a young age, she engaged in sex with several partners, including her brother Keith. When she was 15 her grandfather threw out her from the house. She then began to support herself and indulge herself in prostitution.

There are several factors which contributed to Aileen Wuornos' behavior of such act. These factors include

Biological Factor

Criminal behavior leads from a crude inherent aptitude that ...