Lesson – Sadistic Homicide Offenders: Profiles, Patterns, & Prevention
Killers kill for varied reasons. Some possess clinical levels of traits within the so-called “Dark Tetrad”: Narcissism, Psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and Sadism. Research supports that if a person scores high in one of these areas, they are more likely to score relatively high in another.
Sadistic killers are primarily motivated by their desire to inflict pain or suffering on others for their own pleasure. Though we tend to highlight those killers particularly motivated by their sexual perversions and sexually sadistic desires to kill, not all sadistic killers are motivated by perverted sexual fantasy. Even if we have little occasion to treat sadistic killers in a clinical setting, it is important to know the developmental characteristics, environmental drivers, and psychological factors that uniquely contribute to this type of violent, horrific, and destructive behavior. A solid clinical foundation in this area of neurocriminology plays a critical role in prevention, which may ultimately save lives.
Sadistic homicide offenders, although rare, cause great harm and suffering to their victims and society. The crimes committed by these types of offenders generate extensive media coverage and contribute to much public confusion, fear, and fascination. This training will examine the possible prenatal and postnatal neurobiopsychosocial factors associated with sadistic homicide offending through a neurocriminological and forensic psychological lens. Early life prevention and intervention strategies will also be discussed. Related topics discussed will include: offender typologies and classifications, juvenile sadistic homicide offenders, mysopeds, the Dark Tetrad, psychiatric disorder, deviant sexual fantasies, triggering events, revenge, rage control issues, social skill limitations, attachment dysregulation, similarities and differences between serial sexual homicide offenders vs. non-serial sexual homicide offenders and single offender homicide perpetrators, crime scene behaviors, weapon selection, homicidal necrophilia, caregiver abuse and neglect, violent pornography exposure, paraphilic behaviors, empathy deficits, sexual sadism, personality disorders, psychopathy, and more.
Objectives:
This training will provide participants clinical knowledge and tools to:
a). Define sadistic homicide offenders, neurocriminology, forensic psychology, and other related constructs.
b). Learn and describe the potential prenatal and postnatal factors associated with these cases.
c). Learn and discuss how neurocriminology and forensic psychology research can provide additional insights into why some individuals commit sadistic homicide offenses.
d). Learn and discuss early life prevention and intervention approaches through a neurocriminological and forensic psychological lens.
e). Review and discuss empirically based research findings and related case studies.
Target Audience:
Mental health counselors, psychologists, social workers, drug and alcohol counselors, marriage and family therapists, telehealth treatment professionals, and other clinical mental health professionals.
Instructional Level: Intermediate
Instructor(s): Jerrod Brown, PhD, MA, MS, MS, MS
Material Author(s): Jerrod Brown, PhD, MA, MS, MS, MS
For additional information about this course, the instructors, or the material authors, please contact Content Assistance at content@onlinececredits.com.