Understanding the evolution of criminality is crucial if we are to intervene and lower rates of criminal behavior. In essence, the aim needs to be preventing the development of criminals' behavior before it really gets going. This is a stupendously challenging task since we cannot know in advance if someone is going to demonstrate criminal behavior. However, if we use medicine as a metaphor, if we can intervene at an early stage of the disease when symptomology is only just becoming obvious, we can stop the disease or treat it and thus stop its progression.
Turning back to forensic psychology, but more broadly to criminology in general, we may track several fields and theories which imply that aggressive tendencies do indeed show up years before the taking of life takes place.
One such sign or symptom is childhood CTA (Cruelty to Animals).
Defining Cruelty to Animals
Before a discussion can take place on the nature of childhood (CTA) and whether it influences later aggression, it will be useful to have a working definition. It may seem obvious what or what is not animal cruelty - however, the definition may be built upon quicksand given how it may have been interpreted historically and socially.
This summary uses the definition as given by Ascione (1993, as cited in Petersen and Farrington, 2007):
"Socially unacceptable behavior that intentionally causes unnecessary pain, suffering or distress to and/or death of an animal.”
History of research
In the 60s Mead (Mead 1964, as cited in Henderson 2010) noted a possible link between childhood CTA and future aggressive acts. These later acts could be extremely violent and Mead hypothesized that a link could exist upon observing three distinct cases. In one of these cases, a boy had killed cats by banging their bodies against walls. This same boy later inflicted a stab wound upon the eye of another boy. WIth other cases that seemed to emphasize similar brutality came the realization that CTA might precede violent acts.
These findings built upon earlier work upon pioneering work already conducted by Macdonald (Macdonald 1961, as cited in Henderson, 2010) wherein Macdonald reviewed the childhood characteristics of 100 people - 48 of whom were psychotic and 52 of whom were not. He found that these individuals often shared a triad of traits, enuresis (bed-wetting) fire-setting, and CTA.
The characteristics became known as the Macdonald Triad.
More recent research
As a change to investigating violent offenders only and a potential history of CTA, some researchers (Merz-Perez 2001, as cited in Petersen and Farrington 2007) compared violent offenders with non-violent offenders for a history of CTA. In this study, 56% of violent offenders had a history of CTA whilst only 20% of non-violent offenders had a history of CTA. They performed a Chi-squared test and found the p-value = .001 a statistically significant result.
Other factors of childhood CTA include being exposed to violence or abuse within the home.
Becker et al (2004, as cited in Petersen and Farrington 2007) looked at battered and control women and found that children from violent homes were more likely to exhibit some form of CTA 11% vs 5%.
Conclusion
There are many studies and reviews on this topic, although in some cases the child is not acting on some inherent psychopathic tendency but is reacting to the stress and tension caused by being within a violent familial unit.
References:
Henderson, B. (2010) 'CHILDHOOD ANIMAL CRUELTY METHODS AND THEIR LINK
TO ADULT INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE' [PDF] Thesis provided to the University of Tennessee, Available from (https://scholar.utc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1427&context=theses) (Accessed: 16/03/2022)
Petersen, ML and Farrington, DL (2007) 'Cruelty to Animals and Violence to People' [PDF] in Journal of Victims & Offenders, Available from: https://www.biahposter.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Violence-Against-Animals.pdf (Accessed: 16/03/2022)
I believe that such symptoms as killing, injuring animals should by no means be ignored and definitely initiate some disturbances / disorders in the child's development.
It can be a projection, transfer or any other defense mechanism of the child or it can be an abnormal aggression which if not prevented in the early years could have extremely undesirable results.
I definitely agree with you that understanding the evolution of criminality is crucial. Thank you for sharing such important point!
Thanks for bringing summing up such an important issue, @Daniel Sumner.
I believe that this is a crucial subject for both humans and animals.
On the one hand, it's important for predicting and preventing future violence and aggression.
On the other, it's essential in promoting animal welfare.
Luckily, it seems like more and more people realise the importance of treating animals kindly, and how that reflects on us as a species.
I didn't know enuresis is a potential symptom of killer in making.
How come parents don't intervene when their child is cruel (killing) to animals?
Horrible. These people should be put down early.