Final Project: Outline
Hope Torres
Intersect of Crime, Psychology, and Law
Walden University
10/15/2017
Elizabeth Smart: Psychological effects of abduction and confinement
THESIS STATEMENT: The actions of abductors are more than unlawful, they are psychologically detrimental to the victim by impacting them in several ways.
I. Leading factors in most abductions follow a pattern of certain characteristics of the offender and victim.
A. A child abduction is one of the greatest fears of many parents, especially when their children are young making them more vulnerable to strangers.
1. Highest percentage of sexual abduction victims for were females at 75% and at the ages ranging 12 to 17 years of age (Warren et al., 2016, p. 66).
2. Females
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Resistance can be done verbally or physically.
C. When the victim resists it does not result in being released.
D. A child removed from their home forcefully may be too afraid to cry for help if a weapon is used in the abduction.
1. Any resistance to an offender with a weapon may threaten to harm the child and their family if they refuse to go with the offender.
III. Elizabeth Smart was 14 years of age when she abducted from her home in the middle of the night and was held captive for 9 months in which she endured sexual abused from her captors.
1. Elizabeth’s sister recognized the abductor as a homeless man who had once been hired to do yardwork for pay for a day.
2. The abductor used a weapon and threatened to kill Elizabeth’s siblings.
B. Abduction can have harsh impacts on children.
1. It is normal for a familial offender to groom children in order to create in the child the sexual actions committed are acceptable (Jülich et al., 2016, p. 50).
a. Grooming can come in the way of small physical contact which gradually increases in order to desensitize the child.
2. With stranger abduction, grooming is different and occurs after abduction; this has the capability of developing into the Stockholm Syndrome which is formed by the emotional and physical abuse which is part of the CSA (Jülich et al., 2016, p.
“Hostage survivors often develop an unconscious bond to their captors and experience grief if their captors are harmed”(NP). In some studies, they may also feel guilty for developing a bond. This type of behavior may typically be referred to as the Stockholm Syndrome. In Jaycee Dugard’s memoir, A Stolen Life, she doesn't mention and experience this syndrome in a downlow way. She doesn't confront it as well, but she does mention that she felt bad after he was arrested as well as her other abductor. When they went to the police station, her abductor told the police that she and the kids were his brother’s kids. When Dugard heard, she had the opportunity to rat him out and tell the police the truth, but instead she asked to speak to her uncle instead (A Stolen Life 208). She admits that they were kind of like a family to her and that is what horrifies her. Even though they did all this harm to her and basically took away eighteen years of her life, she was still thankful that they helped raise her two kids that her male abductor impregnated her with. Dugard also showed evidence of what the American Psychological Association mentioned about the emotion stress reaction. “I don't think I slept more than a few minutes that night. I had a terrible sinus headache from crying for several hours. Questions like: What if my mom doesn't accept the girls? What if my mom hates
On August 23rd, 1973, in Stockholm, Sweden, four hostages were held captive after a botched bank robbery and kept there for six days. Throughout these six days the four hostages grew a strange bond with their captor. The captor allowed his captives to call their family, kept them warm when they were cold and even let them out of the vault they were kept in when they said they were claustrophobic. This strange relationship that grew in this short amount later became studied and was widely known as Stockholm syndrome. It has been looked at as one of the smartest survival methods for kidnappings. Stockholm syndrome can be seen in many cases around the world when it comes to kidnapping and happens to one in every four kidnappings that occur, states
The Great American Orphan Abduction is a compelling story that exploits economic, religious, racial, and gender issues in the early 20th century. It follows the story of forty Irish-Catholic orphans from New York being adopted by Mexicans in a small Arizona mining town. These children were considered ulcers to society in the city and were mostly children whose parents were too poor to care for them. The Foundling had visions of a better future for the children out in Arizona. Orphan trains transported the children West and were facilitated by their Catholic nun caretakers. Both racial and gender factors led to posses kidnapping the children from their new homes. The Anglo townspeople did not like the idea of white children being placed in non-white homes. The Arizona Territorial Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Anglos in the trial that followed. Their reasoning was that allowing white children to be adopted by Mexicans was equal to child abuse. Gordon’s analysis shows that women were not as passive in public affairs as some would assume. Mexican women adopted the children, and Anglo women had a hand in the kidnapping and mob activity. Gordon spotlights lessons showing that women had a role in separating racial boundaries. The tragedy of the
Society often overlook crimes that are not as trending, meaning, if a certain crime was not featured often on TV even with high severity, then it would not be viewed as a major issue. One prime example is child sex prostitution. There are not a lot research concerning this particular type of crime, in addition to a small amount of ample evidence supporting the level of severity, and coming up with prevention policy (Reid, 2012). Despite minimal amount of research investment, there is a growing pattern for this type of service, both around the world and United States (Fong & Cardoso, 2010). Although, most sex trafficking cases are often more associated with adults, it is actually the youth and/or child populations that are increasing in the
This paper will shed light on the abductions of three young women by Ariel Castro. Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus were held captive for over a decade in Ariel Castro’s home located in Cleveland, Ohio. These women were all raped and beaten during their years of captivity by a man that they each had known or come in contact with prior to being abducted. After their rescue Ariel Castro faced charges for the rape and kidnapping of these women, he later pled guilty to these charges. After pledging guilty to the charges Ariel Castro hung himself one night in his jail cell. Each one of these girls maintained a since of hope that
the abuser is in total control. Threats by a man to kill a woman if she
In the twenty first century statistics have proven that stranger abductions are feared most by parents but rarely happen, and the number one abduction that occurs is, parental abduction. “Over 800,000 children are reported missing in the United States each year. Child abduction is a tragedy that devastates parents and touches all of us,” writes Jenny Wanderscheid in her online article. The United States has feared abductions for over decades, but many people misjudge the stereotypical “abduction”.
Child Advocates works with court appointed volunteers to break the cycle of child abuse. Child Advocates works with people of all races and social classes. Since abuse and neglect is not specific to a particular race, gender, age, or social class. Each court appointed advocated is assigned one case at a time. A child advocate is guided by their advocacy coordinator which enables them to perform a thorough investigation of the case.
Persons found guilty of committing the crime of kidnapping risk being imprisoned or heavily find. Additionally, during a kidnap some other offense might occur such as assault and battery. False Imprisonment and Kidnapping are comparative terms but unmistakable as per their legal definitions. While both include persuasively taking an individual away without his consent, false imprisonment is more correctly used in particular cases where a person is confined in a bounded place and denied his or her freedom. Kidnapping is a broader term and includes the unlawful taking of an individual without his consent using threats, deceit, or force with an end goal of confining him or her (Robbins, 2014).
It is nothing wrong with being alone sometimes but it’s not always the best option. In The Call, the young girl was at the mall with her friend, when suddenly her friend received a call that she had to leave. Her friend left her alone and she walked in the parking garage by herself not knowing that someone was watching her the whole time. The man snatched her and drugged her, she had no idea that someone was after her. She didn’t think that being alone will cause her to get kidnapped. In the United States today so many things aren’t taken as seriously as they should be. On average 33 children were abducted every day by a nonfamily member. Most of these children were sexually assaulted before being released or getting away. (Child Abduction Facts) In 2015 NCMEC assisted law enforcement with more than 13,700 cases of missing children. (Key Facts) There are so many types of kidnappings that could happen in the United States even globally. NCMEC also participates in the AMBER Alert Program, a voluntary partnership between broadcasters, transportation agencies, law enforcement agencies, and the wireless industry to activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child abduction cases. NCMEC serves as the secondary distributor of these alerts and, to date, 830 children have been successfully recovered as a result of the AMBER Alert program, including 32 recoveries credited to the
In The Stolen Child, William Butler Yeats illustrates the supernatural world he has created by describing the romantic and peaceful scenarios. In this faery world, every creature shares a harmonious environment. Yeats introduces the beauty of nature in first three stanzas, while he returns to the situations of the modern society in the last stanza. For instance, the mice spin around because they do not have any available food to feed themselves, and human beings are anxious while they are sleeping. Compared with the complicated world of human beings, the faery world seems like the carefree and idealistic paradise.
When it comes to child abductions, missing children according to our text,” critics and those unfamiliar with the system ask whysome children appear more important than others; all children are equally important.” (Lyman, Michael D.) Missing children are organized into three categories, nonfamily abduction- this is because in many cases the abductor is someone known to the victim. The victim/child is removed from his or her home or family without consent by force or trickery. This is the most complex and dangerous type of missing child case due to the fact with non-familyabductions, homicide, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, pornography, and prostitution can be the most common crimes subjected to these missing children.
Luckily, parents and children alike are not helpless in letting these horrific occurrences happen; there are some things kids should be taught to do when faced with the possibility of a kidnapping and measures parents can take to ensure their children's utmost safety.
The abduction of children for various purposes; ransom and extortion, work, sex, power, custody, has historically been a feature of many societies. (Encyclopedia). There are two types of child abduction: parental child abduction and abduction by a stranger. It is near impossible to conceal a kidnapped child in the world today. 1 child goes missing every 40 seconds -354,000 abductions occur within the family each year -over ½ of the abductors are men -49% of abductors have criminal records -4,600 stranger abductions occur each year -sexual assault is most common as a motive -75% of all abductions involve a weapon of some sort. After everything that happens to all parties involved there can be short
There is actually a list of criteria that must be met for someone to be considered kidnapping an individual. The kidnapper must be holding the victim for ransom, reward, or any other condition of release; using the victim as a shield for themselves or a hostage; interfering with any government or political activity; use them to commit another crime; or to harm to victim or their family ("Criminal Law Lawyer Source").