Looking Ahead: Final Project: Psychological Aspects of Offender Behavior

Not all mentally ill individuals exhibit violent behavior and commit violent crimes, and not all criminals are mentally ill. The mental health of the offender, however, does play a role in the execution, investigation, and prosecution of a crime.

For your Final Project, you analyze a current or historical mass murder case. This could be any case involving killing three or more persons at a single location with no cooling-off period between murders; however, there must be enough information about the case for you to make an in-depth analysis.

To prepare for this Assignment:

• Review pages 305–309 in the Bartol and Bartol course text.
• Select a current or historical mass murder case.

By Day 7 of Week 3

In a 1-page paper:

• Summarize the murder case you selected.
• Provide at least two references from which you will obtain information about the case.

By Day 7 of Week 10

Write an 8- to 10-page interview strategy that includes the following:

• A summary of the murder case you selected
• An analysis of the offender’s personality, including any personality disorders or comorbidity that may be present
• An explanation of how aggression, attachment, and empathy factor into the offender’s personality
• An explanation of how “state” versus “trait” factors into the case
• Recommendations for the interview, including the following:

  Selection of the interviewer
  Environment of the interview
  How to manage the interviewer’s response
  Description of how to ask the interview questions

Main Discussion Posting Content 

Points Range:

21.6 (54%) – 24 (60%)

Discussion posting demonstrates an excellent understanding of all of the concepts and key points presented in the text/s and Learning Resources. Posting provides significant detail including multiple relevant examples, evidence from the readings and other scholarly sources, and discerning ideas. 

Points Range:

19.2 (48%) – 21.57 (53.92%)

Discussion posting demonstrates a good understanding of most of the concepts and key points presented in the text/s and Learning Resources. Posting provides moderate detail (including at least one pertinent example), evidence from the readings and other scholarly sources, and discerning ideas. 

Points Range:

16.8 (42%) – 19.17 (47.93%)

Discussion posting demonstrates a fair understanding of the concepts and key points as presented in the text/s and Learning Resources. Posting may be lacking or incorrect in some area, or in detail and specificity, and/or may not include sufficient pertinent examples or provide sufficient evidence from the readings. 

Points Range:

0 (0%) – 16.77 (41.93%)

Discussion posting demonstrates poor or no understanding of the concepts and key points of the text/s and Learning Resources. Posting is incorrect and/or shallow and/or does not include any pertinent examples or provide sufficient evidence from the readings.

Reply Post & Peer Interaction 

Points Range:

7.2 (18%) – 8 (20%)

Student interacts frequently with peers. The feedback postings and responses to questions are excellent and fully contribute to the quality of interaction by offering constructive critique, suggestions, in-depth questions, use of scholarly, empirical resources, and stimulating thoughts and/or probes. 

Points Range:

6.4 (16%) – 7.16 (17.9%)

Student interacts moderately with peers. The feedback postings and responses to questions are good, but may not fully contribute to the quality of interaction by offering constructive critique, suggestions, in-depth questions, use of scholarly, empirical resources, and stimulating thoughts and/or probes. 

Points Range:

5.6 (14%) – 6.36 (15.9%)

Student interacts minimally with peers or the feedback postings, and responses to questions only partially contribute to the quality of interaction by offering insufficient constructive critique or suggestions, shallow questions, or providing poor quality additional resources. 

Points Range:

0 (0%) – 5.56 (13.9%)

Student does not interact with peers (0 points) or the feedback postings and responses to questions do not contribute to the quality of interaction by offering any constructive critique, suggestions, questions, or additional resources.

Writing 

Points Range:
7.2 (18%) – 8 (20%)

Postings are well organized, use scholarly tone, contain original writing , proper paraphrasing, follow APA style, contain very few or no writing and/or spelling errors, and are fully consistent with graduate level writing style. 

Points Range:
6.4 (16%) – 7.16 (17.9%)

Postings are mostly consistent with graduate level writing style. Postings may have some small organization, scholarly tone, writing, or APA style issues, and/or may contain a few writing and spelling errors.