The Influence of Stress and Abuse on Behavior Formation - Case Study Example

?Child perpetrator of violence Introduction Perry c) asserted that domestic or physical violence is a common form of destructive aggression facing children. Furthermore, violence is heterogeneous and can be reactive, impulsive, defensive, predatory or remorseless aggression. However, dangerous children are created through combination of complex malignant experiences. If a child is neglected and stressed, he or she is likely to become violent and remorseless. This is because the brain is sensitized to negative influences. Negative influences dysregulate brainstems and make them poorly modulated resulting in chaotic and under socialized development. This is a case that happened to twenty six year old Corey Deen Saunders who experienced chaotic childhood and currently serves a life sentence in prison for perpetuation sexual abuse to a six year old boy. Corey Deen Saunders and family history Corey Deen Saunders is a 26 year old man serving a life sentence in prison after abusing a six year old boy in a library. He is mildly retarded and suffers from attention deficit disorder. He had serious psychological problems and turned from a victim to a predator that sexually preyed on young boys. Saunders really liked younger boys, especially those between six and twelve years and always gave excuses to be around and hang out with them. As he grew up, his behavior became conspicuously sexual and all his remarks on boys were sexual in nature. Saunders also sexually fantasized a lot about younger boys living in his neighborhood. He admitted to having more than four hundred sexual fantasies that involved younger children in school. At one point, he contemplated raping and murdering a specific ten year old boy in school. In April 1999, Saunders tried to aggressively win over a twelve year old boy to have sex with him. As Corey Deen Saunders grew, he became sexually compulsive towards younger boys. Saunders’ compulsive sexual behavior eventually landed him in prison following unsuccessful rehabilitation. His real problems began when he sexually abused two children below his age. This is because he had serious psychological problems. Saunders overtly sexual behavior was not corrected at Stetson school and he continued making sexual advances to younger boys. He stole boys under wears and hoarded them. In September 1999, Stetson school found it extremely difficult to contain Saunders and it was decided that Saunders was becoming hazardous to younger children and was transferred to North Carolina’s treatment facility. However, Saunders was transferred to Top East Emergency Shelter in Taunton instead. Saunders escaped from the facility on December 30, 1999 and was found by police some hours later walking barefoot in the streets of Taunton. After escaping from Top East Emergency Shelter he was never readmitted and the Department of Social Services instructed the police to take Saunders to a foster home in Attleboro. Neither police nor the Department of Social Services informed the woman at foster home that he young man had serious psychological problems. As a result, the woman manager did not take extra measures to protect other children from his sexually compulsive behavior. Consequently, Saunders sexually assaulted a seven year old son of the foster woman a few feet away from his mother in the foster’s home living room. As a result, Saunders was charged of battery and indecent assault of a child below fourteen years, abuse and attempted rape of a child less than sixteen years. Following the above incident in 2001, Saunders pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years and one day in prison, with additional twelve years probation. After serving his term in prison, Saunders was eventually released. However, Saunders sexually assaulted a six year old boy in New Bedford Public Library, and he was charged again with battery and indecent assault on a child below fourteen years, enticing and raping a child below sixteen years. Following his second abuse, he was sentenced for life to keep him away from harming children. Saunders’ antisocial behavior was acquired as he grew up. He was abused by his older sister when he was a small boy. His sexually abusive sister was also abused by Saunders father. Furthermore, when Saunders was nine years old, his mother told him that he was no longer needed. For the mother to abandon his child at the age of nine years, she must have had negative expectation of Saunders or it became extremely difficult for a single mother to manage her children’s behavior. Furthermore, Saunders’ mother could have had attitudes that devalued him. Sociological factors Perry (2011b) pointed out that experts of social sciences, crime and mental health try to understand why some children become abusive, rapist and murderers. First, a criminal tendency is caused by human nature, which is pervasively aggressive, murderous and violent. Secondly, violent behavior is caused by impulsive behavior caused by serious mental illness, hate, retribution, revenge, drugs or alcohol. The good thing is that not all human beings kill, rape or abuse others. How a child comes to physically and sexually abuse others is a combination of complex circumstances. Corey Deen Saunders abusive behavior can be explained through a number of contributing factors. He experienced one of the most difficult childhoods. As a result, he did not live a normal life. According to Goldman (2003), sociological factors dictate how a child will behave once he or she grows up to be an adult. The factors include parental or care giver, family, child and environmental factors. First, parental or care giver factors may have influenced the social and emotional development of Saunders. Saunders was sexually abused by his elder sister at a tender age. Abusive behavior of his elder sister could be attributed to the sexual and physical abuse that her father inflicted on her. As a result, she passed on abusive behavior to her brother Saunders. A second factor that may have altered normal development of Saunders is family factors. Saunders parents separated before he was born. This means that one of the parents was abusing the other and it was not possible for the two parents to live together. Separation may have depressed Saunders’ mother to the point that she neglected Saunders when he was only nine years old. When Saunders was neglected, he had no parent to turn to for advice or correction. At the age of twelve, Saunders wandered away taking with him his teddy bear. Fourteen hours after leaving his house, Saunders was found roaming the streets, still holding his teddy bear. In 1994, the Department of Social Services took charge of Saunders and put into youth treatment centre. Consequently, Saunders developed poor impulse control and could not grow up a normal child because he did not experienced parental love at a time when he needed them most. This could have made him to behave the way he did. Thirdly, Saunders could have been affected by his own factors. Saunders did not develop as a normal child. Apart from suffering from mental disorder (borderline IQ); he was also diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. As a result, he failed to develop to normal emotional maturity at a time when he was engage in abusing other children sexually when he was in school. It was difficult for him to complete some phases of his treatment because of his condition and as a result, he was unable to change his behavior (Goldman 2003). Children cannot be blamed for being victims of physical and sexual abuse. It has been established that children with physical, emotional or cognitive disabilities are more likely to be abused as compared with normal children. Children perceived by parents or guardians to be different due to their chronic illnesses, difficult temperaments or disabilities are likely to be mistreated. Demand for caring abnormal children is overwhelming and it may be extremely difficult to develop attachments or bonds since the abnormal children could not be responsive to affection of parents. Children separated by frequent hospitalization also fail to develop close bonds with parents, peers or siblings. As a result, disabled children may fail to comprehend that abusive behaviors are not welcomed and they may find it hard to prevent or protect themselves from the impulse of abusive behavior. Therefore, they can turn from victims to perpetrators, a case of Saunders. Finally, the fourth factor that could have affected Saunders is environmental factors. Saunders began experiencing difficult life when he was abandoned by his mother at twelve years. He grew under chaotic and cruel environment. This means that he had to fend for himself and seeks other necessities by himself. When a child gets detached from family members and other members of the society, he or she cares less about the welfare of others. Therefore, a child becomes more violent when he or she is marginalized, isolated and with no connection. At twelve years old, he was taken to a hospital psychiatric ward for treatment because he had serious psychological problems. Furthermore, he was taken to group homes. Saunders experienced physical electronic abuse at age four when he tried to bite an electric code. The incident left severe burns at his mouth and jaw. At a tender age, he got involved in sex offender program which might have made his situation worse. His difficult, chaotic and cruel environment introduced him to antisocial behavior. Role of the media Media may have played critical role in making him sexually compulsive behavior. It cannot be ruled out that Saunders was watching a lot of television considering that he had limited activities due to his condition. A television is a powerful tool of entertainment and education. However, media and television in general can distort body image, shorten attention span and may also lead to increased anti-social and aggressive behaviors if children exposed to it are not monitored or limited. Gentile (2003) revealed that a causal relationship between televised violence and subsequent anti-social behavior exists. In early 1970’s, published reports indicated that before an average child reaches fourteen years, he or she will have witnessed eleven thousand violent actions including murders, rape, assault and battering. Currently, an average child witness over ten thousand violent crimes on television annually. Therefore, a normal child observes over two hundred thousand violent crimes before he or she reaches fourteen years. Furthermore, violent acts occur more than twenty times in children’s programs and two-thirds of children’s programs contain violence as compared to other programs except for movies and drama series. According to Dennis (1994), children are negatively affected when news portray them as either victims or criminals. Furthermore, when children watch violence on television, they get afraid. Therefore, parents or guardians should sit down with their children and teach them about the tricks that programmers apply. Children need to know that programmers edit programs (over exaggerate and underreport occurrences). This prevents them from believing that television has mysterious power in their lives especially children between eight and fourteen years who have too much information but limited knowledge. When a child is surrounded by images of physical and sexual abuse, human life diminishes and horror of rape and battering decreases. As children watch violent action, they expose themselves to violence and become desensitized to crime without realizing the effects of such violent actions. Intervention that could have been utilized to help Saunders First, media could have been used to expose perpetrators who abused Saunders. The media pass information through newspapers, magazines, television computers, video games, satellite and cable communication among others. Goddard and Saunders (2001) believe that media play a critical role in controlling children abuse. This is because it exposes the perpetrators and places the problem of child abuse in the minds of the general public. Media exposure is more likely to set a political agenda to devise ways of dealing with the menace. It is also more likely to make children protection services more accountable and true to their missions. This helps to reduce the number of cases reported on child abuse. To help Saunders, media could have been used to expose physical and sexual abuse that he was going through when he was young. The media generates societal awareness to the plight facing children. Media speak for children who require protection from omission and abuses of adults because they rarely speak for themselves. The media shade light on the abuses and neglect that children experience through news and specific features on research findings and intervention measures concerning children. Media coverage has a huge impact. When news about murdered, raped or hurt child hits radio, television or newspaper headlines, previous tragedies are revisited. Consequently, the leaders, members of the society and child protection services are brought back to consciousness. As a result, legislations and steps are taken to prevent future occurrences. This is because an informed citizen demands for reforms for their elected representative who in turn takes a corrective action for a bad situation. Investigative journalism has become a strong catalyst for change. Investigative journalism has brought wrong doing to a public attention. For example, stories about Islington’s children’s homes made the government to demand thirteen inquiries and led to the following; numerous reforms in the social service Department as directors resigned and the council apologized to the abused young persons. Media can be regarded as a social problem. According to welfare and health professionals, media focus on child abuse response rather than the abuse. In addition, media only concentrates on serious child abuse issues. It may also deny children’s right to anonymity and privacy as well as trivialization of children’s physical punishment. However, if media is used appropriately, it can deter perpetrators and prevent victims from turning to perpetrators in future. Secondly, parents and guardians need to have understood Saunders condition and offer appropriate solution at his early age. The parents need to have understood the behavior of the Saunders. Accurate knowledge about his condition could have help avert the disaster. Accurate knowledge and understanding about a child behavior may be useful in setting realistic expectations of a child. To help children develop normally, teachers, parents and guardians should not push children to achieve academically at early age. Instead, they should understand the need for optimal and healthy emotional and social development in children. In addition, they should reinforce focus, dedication and curiosity of children. Children should be supported to explore their special skills, encouraged to work in teams and identify each others strengthens. This will help children to discover their value, passion and place in the current world (Perry 2011). Parks (2000) asserts that prenatal and early post natal prevention reduces risks of developing antisocial behavior in children. Furthermore, developmental trajectory towards delinquency can be altered if there is early childhood intervention before children start school. At early stage of development, children should learn to love and cope with challenges of life. Thirdly, Saunders parents should have avoided marital conflicts. Marital conflicts should be avoided where possible. This is because marital conflicts, domestic violence, and single parent hood may increase the chances of child abuse. The above factors often contribute to negative family functioning patterns. A child with a single parent has a high chance of being physically and sexually abused as compared to children with both biological parents. It has been established that a strong and positive relationship between a child and father contributes to the development of a child and is likely to lessen the risk of child abuse, regardless of whether the father resides at home or not. According to Perry (2006), neglect, abuse, chaos, threats and traumatic stress are dangerous for children. This is because the negative experiences of children alter their brain development. As a result, they develop enduring social, physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral problems. When children develop in the above hard circumstances, they fail self regulate, relate, think or communicate appropriately. Consequently they become under socialized and suffer from cognitive, social, emotional, behavioral problems as well as physical health problems. Conclusions Saunders was physically and sexually abused as a child at a tender age. He was later taken to hospital psychiatric ward and group homes. However, his behavior did not change and was first convicted in 2001. However, when he was released after serving his full term, he did not change and he became extreme sexually dangerous young man. Saunders was later convicted and sentenced for life after sexually abusing a six year old boy at the New Bedford Public Library. Corey Deen Saunders may have reached a desperate situation and it has become extremely difficult to help him change. He may have to stay in prison all his life because he is extremely sexually dangerous. Though he is condemned to life in prison, he may change with time as only time heals the wounds. This is possible through various psychological treatments that Department of Social Services will advance to him in the correctional facility. If he does not change, he will rather spend life in prison other than endangering many more live of young boys. References Dennis, E. E., (1994). Children and the media. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Gentile, A.D., (2003). Media violence and children: a complete guide for parents and professionals. London: Greenwood Publishing Group. Goddard, C & Saunders, B. J., (2001), Child abuse and the media Child Abuse Prevention Issues Number 14 Winter 2001, Retrieved April 30, 2011, from http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/issues/issues14/issues14.html Goldman, J., Salus, K., Wolcott, D., & Kennedy, Y. (2003). What Factors Contribute to Child Abuse and Neglect? Washington, DC. Retrieved April 30, 2011, from http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/foundation/foundatione.cfm Parks, G. (2000). The High/Scope Perry Preschool Project. Rockville: Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse. Perry, D. B., (20111) A Place for Everyone: Nurturing Each Child's Niche. Retrieved April 30, 2011, from http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/niche.htm Perry, D.B., (2006). Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Work with Maltreated and Traumatized Children. New York: Guilford Press. Perry, D.B., (2011b) Columbine, Killing, and You. Retrieved April 30, 2011, from http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/Columbine_Killing.htm Perry, D.B., (2011c) Aggression and Violence: The Neurobiology of Experience. Retrieved April 30, 2011, from http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/aggression_violence.htm Read More