Law
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A criminal personality represents a multifaceted concept, characterized by a strong interdisciplinary character. It is connected with the fact that it is studied not only by psychologists but also by lawyers involved in the analysis of issues related to criminal procedure and law, forensic science, and criminology. In legal psychology, this issue is one of the most important topics. It should be noted that a human personality has diverse features and characteristics, both universal and genetically unique. A criminal personality also has the same set of characteristics. Psychologists, psychiatrists, and criminologists have been always interested whether criminals have a high level of intelligence. It can be assert that majority of criminals are rather intelligent. In fact, gifted children experience problems during their childhood that can lead to criminalization of their personality. Moreover, many criminals represent a socially adaptive personality type characterized by intelligence and flexible thinking, and financial offenders commit extremely careful and thoughtful crimes.
Problems of Gifted People Begin in Childhood
Many facts prove that criminals have a high level of intelligence. The book Criminal Genius suggests, “delinquents and criminals have IQ scores approximating those of the general population” (Oleson, 2013, p. 66). Thus, the level of IQ of offenders is similar to the intelligence quotient of regular people. Several arguments confirm this statement. First, their problems originate in childhood. In some situations, intelligent and gifted children do not meet the expectations of adults. They often suffer from feelings of guilt and shame, as well as from a variety of fears (Golden & Lashley, 2014). They find it difficult to communicate with their peers because their level of intelligence, needs and interests are higher and more complex comparing to their classmates. Adults with a high level of intelligence are likely to be depressed. They often experience meaninglessness of life and spiritual emptiness. The deviation in the direction of a talent in one area is often accompanied by deviations in everyday life (Golden & Lashley, 2014). The reasons for the implementation of creative and intellectual potential in illegal behavior are different. Criminal and psychological studies provide evidence that majority of offenders are in a certain social and psychological distance from society and its values (Golden & Lashley, 2014). These people exist apart from society, in small social groups or have significantly weak connections with them. Such situation determines the motivation behind criminal behavior and specificity of response to life situations (Golden & Lashley, 2014). As for a person with a high intelligence score and above average abilities, he/she is often not adapted to the everyday life. Such people tend to ignore reality. They regard to the ordinary world as to something insignificant and unimportant. Therefore, they do not take active part in social interaction. Therefore, it is possible see numerous similarities between the studied criminals and people with extraordinary abilities. In fact, such people experience increased anxiety, depression, and difficulties in adapting, what can result in offenses or crimes.
In addition, people with high intelligence and creativity are not always recognized by the society. They produce new things and ideas, which, as known, can deviate from a standard pattern of thinking or behavior (Golden & Lashley, 2014). As a result, it is perceived as an anomaly and deviation. Being unrecognized by society can be a reason to the commission of crimes and offenses. In legal practice, a number of examples described the criminals whose high intelligence helped them commit perfect murders, avoiding any mistakes, and the law enforcement agencies were powerless for a long time. Edmund Kemper can be considered a vivid example of such kind of criminals. He was a serial criminal who killed women including his own mother (Grana & Windell, 2016). He had a phenomenally high IQ score, ranging from 148 to 153 at different periods of his life, while an average human IQ was close to 100 (Grana & Windell, 2016). Another criminal with a high intellectual ability was a serial killer Robert Maudsley. Many people believed he was a genius. Friends and family described him as a highly intelligent man (Grana & Windell, 2016). Nonetheless, mind of these criminals prevented them from establishing communication with other people, what, consequently, led to their alienation and commitment of murders.
A Socially Adaptive Personality Type
A high level of intelligence in criminals is proved by the existence of a socially adaptive personality type. Criminals of this type commit a majority of violent crimes (Gurung, 2013). In addition, most of them are serial killers. A socially adaptive offender is characterized by a high level of resistance to stress, as well as neuro-psychological, emotional, and volitional stability (Gurung, 2013). The author states that this type of criminals is also characterized by a high level of long-term exposure to psychophysical overloads. In fact, a sthenic type of emotional response in complex emergencies has developed adaptive properties of the nervous system, such as mobility and power of nervous processes. These criminals have flexible thinking and developed intelligence. They are smart, pragmatic, and able to plan the crime and their behavior after its perpetration (Gurung, 2013). They have a good memory, imagination, and a broad outlook. They are attentive and have a heightened perception. Some criminals of this type have a strong personality and are highly entrepreneurial (Gurung, 2013). However, due to the high level of aspiration, they make mistakes. The largest number of such offenders commits professional crimes (Gurung, 2013). People of a socially adaptive personality type are considered malicious and extremely dangerous criminals because of their high level of intelligence and ability to analyze crimes.
Financial Crimes
These days, financial crimes occupy a great niche in the criminal world. Financial criminals who commit financial frauds require high IQ score (Canter, 2014). Frequently, top managers of large corporations perform financial crimes. Many of them have been previously seen as role models and had an impeccable reputation. Bernard Ebbers is considered one of the most well-known financial criminals. He led the largest telephone service provider in the United States (Gottschalk, 2009). Ebbers organized $11 billion scam, which became the largest in the history of the country (Gottschalk, 2009). To commit such crime, a person cannot have a low IQ score. In such a way, financial criminals prove that the majority of offenders have a rather high level of intelligence.
A Conducted Study
Despite the facts mentioned above, there is still an opinion that criminals do not have a high intellect. American criminologists conducted a meta-analysis of studies on intelligence among offenders with psychopathic personality traits (Siegel, 2016). The study denied an opinion that criminals have high IQ score. According to criminologists, their level of intelligence is below average. Psychopathy includes an inability of a person to empathize with others, feel empathy or remorse, and describes him/her as experiencing superficiality of emotional life, and deep selfishness (Siegel, 2016). Criminologists assume that high intelligence may be an effective mean of adaptation of these people in the society (Siegel, 2016). Psychopaths can control their destructive tendencies. They often skillfully use them and achieve great success in life. Therefore, it is impossible to be guided only by the conclusions of this study to argue the high intelligence of criminals. It can be stated that people with psychopathic traits do not constitute the majority of offenders and, thus, it is necessary to analyze all types of personalities to determine a level of their intelligence. Moreover, unsuccessful and unplanned crimes committed indicate that not all criminals are clever. Nonetheless, the author Brent Turvey (2011) states that “very intelligent people may commit foolish or poorly planned offences. Therefore, evidence of a low offender skill level suggests a lack of criminal experience and poor planning, not a lack of intelligence” (p. 553). Thus, poorly planned crimes do not mean low intelligence of criminals.
Conclusion
It is believed that high intelligence is a measure of productivity, success, a high level of culture, and wisdom of a person. Frequently, intelligence is associated with giftedness. Gifted children are usually perceived as the pride of their parents. They have high performance level and do well at school. In turn, gifted adults are perceived as inaccessible, wise, and successful. Nevertheless, gifted people usually face many difficulties and problems. Many of these problems originate in childhood. Besides, they can lead to more severe troubles in adulthood and even to crimes. This fact is the first confirmation that criminals are smart people. Furthermore, many criminals belong to a socially adaptive personality type and have such qualities as good imagination and developed intelligence, which help them commit crimes. The fact that nowadays there are a great number of financial crimes shows that offenders are clever people. In spite of the fact that there are certain refutations to this statement, the majority of criminals have a comparatively high level of intelligence.
References
Canter, D. (2014). Criminal psychology: Topics in applied psychology. New York, NY: Routledge.
Golden, C. J., & Lashley, L. (2014). Forensic neuropsychological evaluation of the violent offender. New York, NY: Springer.
Gottschalk, P. (2009). Policing financial crime: Intelligence strategy implementation. Boca Raton, FL: Universal-Publishers.
Grana, G., & Windell, J. (2016). Crime and intelligence analysis: An integrated real-time approach. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Gurung, R. A. R. (2013). Health psychology: A cultural approach. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
Oleson, J. C. (2016). Criminal genius: A portrait of high-IQ offenders. Oakland, CA: University of California Press.
Siegel, L. G. (2016). Criminology: Theories, patterns, and typologies. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Turvey, B. E. (2011). Criminal profiling: An introduction to behavioral evidence analysis. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
