Running Head: Criminology

Criminology

[Name of Student]

[Name of Institution]

[Date]
 Criminology 2

Introduction

The chosen case study is currently of a most well-known serial killers ever experienced in

British crime history is Fred West. However, from his birth to death, as well as all of his actions

throughout his time on earth, this essay will comprehensively talk about the case of Fred West.

For the preparation of the formative assessment, this was the case used, which was held in March

2019. After looking at a number of cases, the group derived to a result to highlight regarding

Fred West's case and further analyse the rationale in-detail, that what might have caused Fred to

commit such a dreadful act, and whether it was a matter of choice or a matter of genes. As well

as, the rationale for choosing Fred’s case is that it enlightens several aspects and theories of

criminologies and opinions of different academic criminologists. This can be interpreted by

relating to a couple of Criminological theories i.e. Positivist theory and Classical theory. The

demonstration of both theories will be presented, and after that, it is analysed, which one is more

consistent to illustrate the said case.

Discussion

Case Description

Frederick West (29th September 1941 - 1st January 1995) born into a deprived family of

farm workers in Herefordshire to Daisy Hannah Hill and Walter Stephen West. Out of the eight

children, he was the second. From an early age, his father trained his brutality, as in police

record's, West depicted, according to his father, on various occasions "Do whatever you want,

but don't ever caught doing it" (Morris, 2007). Another statement was that Fred, from the age of

12, began to sexually abuse by his mother. West presented an interest in carpentry and artwork,

but didn't do extremely well academically (Morris, 2007). He started to work as a farm laborer
 Criminology 3

when he was 15 and suffered a severe motorcycle accident, two years succeeding, in 1958, which

resulted in a broken arm and leg and fractured skull. Due to the fractured skull, a part of his skull

was replaced by the metal plate. As reported by his family, he became prone to sudden fits of

range (Morris, 2007). According to some experts, this might have resulted in his impulse control.

Another injury, later in his life, after being fell off after a fire escape, certainly had caused him

with enduring brain injury, according to the medical professionals (Morris, 2007). As a result, his

behavior started to become more infrequent or isochronous. Furthermore, involving in the

different types of insignificant crimes, he became known to police which had massively

devalued. His family well-disowned him after that when he was detained for raping a 13-year-

old girl. (Morris, 2007). On November 1962, West married to Catherine Costello and together

they moved to Glasgow. West worked as an ice cream van driver, during this period in Glasgow

and, on 4 November 1965, he killed a four-year-old-boy-by accidentally running over him.

Following his safety, resulting from vehicular homicide incident, West with his family and

transported into the "Lakeside caravan park" in "Bishop's Cleeve, Gloucestershire" along with

Costello's friend Anne McFall. Costello and McNeill (children's caretaker) moved to Scotland in

1966, to escape from West's sadistic sexual demands. Whereas Costello's friend McFall, who had

become obsessed with Fred, and his two kids. His first wife frequently visited her children each

month. However, McFall disappeared in August 1967, as she was never stated missing and her

remnants were founded in June 1994. Accordingly, West married to "Rosemary Letts", despite

being already married, on 29 November 1968. Rosemary gives childbirth to a daughter, on 17

October 1970, Heather Anne. For the theft West committed on 4th December 1970, he was jailed

and lasted down to his release on 24th June 1971 (Morris, 2007).
 Criminology 4

Positivist Theory

A subtype of positivist theory is Biological theories. The major role of positivism

in explaining law-violating behaviors evolved as instrumental during the latter aprt of

the 19th century. By three main elements, the positivist criminology is distinguished i.e.

the investigation for the crime cause, either sociological, biological, or physiological;

the second is the use of scientific approaches to assess against the observations of the

world; the third is treatment centered on the medical (restoration) model and the denial

of punishment, as a reaction to law-violating action.

Even, to abandoned from biological theory in criminology, a physically powerful

reason is presented by the past policy ramifications; whereas, the results that assist a

genetic impact cannot be neglected. One of the primary domains of focus in research has

been adoption studies that link to genetic impact and criminal behavior. As the theory is

tested by the adoption studies, parents regarding predispositions to antisocial actions

might pass on these genes to their children, as a result, it would have a bigger risk in

mounting similar antisocial tendencies in spite of societal causes (Brennan and Williams,

2003, p.309). For the better understanding of the disorder, it is quite probable that

psychopaths are born with biological disposition, liberated of any inherited factors

(Bartol and Bartol, 2014). In the light of Eysenckein (1996), a nervous system of

psychopaths interfere with relations and fast conditioning between punishment and

contravention. As a result, psychopaths feel no guilt in their actions and fail to expect

punishment.
 Criminology 5

Furthermore, research interprets that amongst individuals, learning and

conditioning of behavior incur differentially specified their "neurological" condition. For

instance, the psychopath is quite impulsive, emotionless, absence of leniency,

unconditionally, premature and hedonist (Frick and Morris, 2004, p.54). They are also

renowned as consisting short level of physiological response, as well as perceptible

concern in between traumatic events (Viding and Plomin, 2005, p.592). Hypothetically,

due to the reason psychopaths have a hypo arouse regular nervous system, they do not

adequately go through the distress of anxiety related to prohibited behavior. Thus, they

are not simply restrained or conditioned (Hare and Schalling, 1978). These psychopaths

often tend to make an estimated preference in their welfare based on the interests of the

action (i.e. financial increase), outweighing costs (e.g. concern and exposure). As it was

discussed above that two major incidents happened with Fred i.e. motorcycle accident

and within the collapse, he exploded his skull and lost awareness. However, it was

observed that this brain damage had caused loss of emotions for Fred and had made him

psychopath towards emotionless behavior. A close association has been suggested by

several empirical studies between both i.e. violent and non-violent criminal action and

brain injury (Freedman and Hemenway, 2000, p.1757). The individuals imprisoned of

transgression crimes or non-violent offense are among 50% of the pervasiveness of brain

injury as reported by Sarapata et al (1998), comparing to 5-15 percent in comparison

sample (Sarapata, 1998, p.821). Hence, the damage to the front lobes of the brain has

resulted in the relation between brain injury and crime. The loss of control over limbic

and sub-cortical systems concerned in primitive impulse has been linked with Frontal

lobe injury (Gorman and Henry, 1998, p.319).

 Criminology 6

Moreover, Fred West father was his role model (Sounes and Fred, 1995). West

himself stated that his father had intimate relations with his daughters, as enclosed in his

conviction that: "I made you, so I am allowed to enclose you". Thus, "Hirschi’s (1969)"

family, academy, and an associated model is mainly the significant causes and rests the

"Justice Department’s model" for taking into consideration the allowance application

(Hirschi and Stark, 1969, p.202). Families, as such, are appealing to believe as direct

causes of crime and they are key agents of socialization (Agnew, 2001, p.319).

Lombroso's Classical theory

The Lombroso’s theory of classicism enforced the idea, that individuals are

autonomous and they have the capability to make choice regarding different behavior

(White et al., 2008). Hence, individuals must also disclose the consequence of their

choices, if they are free to prefer their individual actions (Walter et al., 2005). Hence,

this was pretty much the same case as Fred West in which he made his own choices and

turned out to be brutal for the welfare of people and against the society. For his own

means and personal interests, he humiliated, threatened, and hurt many people by

preferring his own individual action or behaviors (Walter et al., 2005).

Furthermore, the strong relation to larcenous criminal behavior is inconsistent,

incompetent, or ineffective parenting (Rebellon, 2002, p.103), but studies (for e.g.

Patterson, 1982) suggest that the relation to the expansion of sociopathic personality

order is also related to irregular restraint. The best interpreter of all has been termed as

Sociopathy, in criminology because of an incompetent technique of child-rearing

(Agnew, 2001, p.319). Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) Low Self-Control theory (LSC)

attempt to describe what is right and what is wrong in the domain of criminology
 Criminology 7

(Grasmick and Arneklev, 1993, p.5). However, individualistic informal opinions are

made by LSC theory i.e. each act of criminal behavior is resulted by exceptional

individual factors such as traits, which are semi-permanent continuing personality

characteristics (Jackson and Kemp, 2005, p.395). In addition, qualities that are partly

present in Fred's personality are three of them, as possessed by the individuals: low self-

control, involvement in crime, resulting of socialization (Grasmick and Arneklev, 1993,

p.5). LSC comprises of the factors solitarily impacting the calculation of the

consequences of one's actions and developments in the first six or eight years of life

(Grasmick and Arneklev, 1993, p.5). The adventurousness, substantial force, short

intellect, and high action intensity is included in the second set of traits. Fred’s early

years has been illustrated, and stated that he was only concerned in physical work and not

a promising student and always in trouble (Wansell and Love, 1996). Whereas, the

inability to delay satisfaction, impulsivity and insensitivity are included in the third set of

traits that were presented in Fred's criminal acts (Wansell, 1996).

Since guilt lacking is a trait related to psychopaths and guilt is painful (Dadds and

Salmon, 2003, p.69). In LSC theory, this modified sensualism is persistent with control theories

in common, which suppose that motivation is without any problems and pleasures are constant

(Jackson and Kemp, 2005, p.395). However, consequences that are associated with the

individuals' lack of guilt, the authors are alarmed, and not the emotional deficiency from a failure

to establish relationships The lack of guilt is a serious concern and many authors have alarmed

this emotional deficiency, resulting a failure to establish relationships (Jackson and Kemp, 2005,

p.395). According to them, the pain of guilt is devalued by the individuals in particular, and this

is something which is inherited from parents, as in the case of Fred, from his father. Therefore,
 Criminology 8

"Fred West" could be identified as a killer and a brutal rapist (Jackson and Kemp, 2005, p.395).

The sadistic rapists instigate the physiological and physical pain sexually, as they go to the

extreme anger-excitation (Douglas and Ressler, 2013). The extreme force is used by these

offenders such as using different means of things, bondage, torture, sexual damage, and, in

severe circumstances, of murder. The careful planning and preventing against discovery is

demanded by the attacks of sadistic rapists. As, this was particularly evident in Fred's offense

action because various victims have never been found (Sounes and Fred, 1995). However, in

multiple paraphilia, these brutal criminals are likely to hold (Arrigo and Purcell, 2001, p.6).

These rapists are likely to be involved in sadistic fantasies. A significant role is played by these

imageries in their crimes.

Conclusion

The overall scenario of Fred West's case concludes that it is more consistent into

Lombroso's Classical theory as to why Fred west committed those brutal murders. There is an

evident proof of low intelligence levels, as studies have presented that Fred West has inclined to

distort. As the societal factors are not taken into consideration, the criticism persists to rise his

poverty and upbringing. To commit such crime, it might not be his choice as Baccaria claims;

nevertheless, he is being obsessed by his biological means.

Criminology 9
 Criminology 10

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