"Arrested Development"
In the modern world, the justice system, it seems, has been transformed. Lawsuits about McDonalds coffee being too hot, or the fact that a chain saw fails to warn "Caution: Sharp!" appear all too frequently in courtrooms. There are loopholes in almost every legal defense, and the excuses of why crimes were committed appear to be more important than the fact that a crime was committed in the first place. Psychology, and more specifically, the manipulation of one's state of mental health for justification of crimes, has become a norm of today's legal system. In the case of Neil Rodreick, also known as "Casey Price", the concept of arrested development, or being severely traumatized as a child so that one never fully believes he or she has "grow up", may be case enough to shorten a life sentence in jail (Nelson).
The story of Casey Price, though perverted and twisted, provides an interesting look inside the human mind.
Gravelly Range
Black Butte
Official seal of Prescott Valley, ArizonaSexual pedophiles such as Rodreick, especially repeated pedophiles, pose the stumping question: Can criminal behavior and activity be triggered from a traumatic event earlier in one's lifetime? And if so, does the mental state of such a person serve as a valid excuse to justify his or her behavior? Advances in the field of psychology are in full stride, and as the world learns more about why humans act as they do, we are better able to understand the world around us. However, does there come a point where we know too much about our own human psychology? As we discover more about our subconscious motives or reasons for behavior, are we, in turn, providing others with ways to manipulate the legal system? If one reads enough about mental disorders and abnormal behavior, it is safe to say that he...