Nadia Ogene March 16, 2013 Case #3 I found this case is interesting for a number of reasons, but mainly

because there was a lack of reasonable motive for these crimes. It seemed to be an act done out of boredom, which lends to the calculating nature of the murderers. In order to view this case in the proper light, it is imperative to study Crawford as a human, despite his monstrous acts. We need to do what we can do to understand why he acted in such a way and, more importantly, understand the sorts of environments in which people like him can flourish. I fear that, by viewing him as something other than human, we risk thinking of him as unique and magical. And if we think that way, we will be blind to the other Crawfords. They definitely exist. The case presented did not provide a substantial amount of information regarding the suspects childhood. Moreover, when presented with the case, I found that Crawford exhibited all of the characteristics of a psychopath. I was reminded of a study done by Adriane Raine, in which he examined the hippocampal functioning of unsuccessful psychopaths (Raine et al). In fact, the parameters with which Raine defined psychopathy fell in line with the behavior that Crawford seemed to exhibit given the information provided. The psychopathy assessment consisted of two factors: interpersonal and affective characteristics (Factor 1, e.g., shallow affect, pathologic lying) and antisocial behavior (Factor 2, e.g., juvenile delinquency). Given these categories, one could argue that Crawfords unabashed bragging about the murder, as well his stimulation-seeking behavior, were symptoms of his psychopathy. To further substantiate this point, the defense could draw upon neuroimaging. More specifically, Raines study found that unsuccessful psychopaths showed an exaggerated structural hippocampal asymmetry relative to both successful psychopaths and control subjects (Raine et al). This abnormality causes a number of issues, one of which is poor fear conditioning due to a

disruption of the hippocampal-prefrontal circuitry. Crawford did not exercise discretion in any form. Furthermore, he exhibited no remorse or fear that he would be prosecuted, given his easy ability to air his dirty laundry to complete strangers; the witnesses who testified against him stated that he was joyful and flippant when describing his role in the Cowboys from Hell (Campground). The defense could build a substantial case on insanity based on these facts. I am conflicted because I am a proponent of restorative justice, but because Crawfords actions may be a result of his neurobiology I cannot formulate a solution that I deem appropriate. This sort of discussion calls into question whether it is even worth trying to rehabilitate those who are wired differently because there is only so much that treatment can do. In regards to this case, Crawford may not have had the capacities to control his impulses and engage in logical reasoning, but I do not believe that exempts him from criminal sanctions. However, I do believe that further investigative measures should be taken to delve into his childhood. The concept of environment is key. Crawford had grown up on a carnival until the age of 8. The formative years of his life were rife with instabilityit is no wonder that he placed his membership in the Cowboys from Hell on such a pedestal. Moreover, Crawford essentially grew up in foster homes, due to his shaky relationship with his carnival-worked mother and alcoholic father (Grandma). We know nothing of the treatment he endured while he was in foster care, but one could speculate that he may have been abused. In fact, this case mirrored that of Donta Pages, who had suffered severe abuse at the hands of his mother that had caused substantial damage to his prefrontal lobes. According to Adrian Raine, people with damaged frontal lobes are predisposed to entering a violent and criminal way of life (Pankratz). The State Troopers characterized Crawford as a man who was asocial and aggressive, which may have been due to his childhood. Therefore, this neurobiological dysfunction, coupled with an unhealthy upbringing, may have been the cause of Crawfords criminal tendencies.

Crawford was just shy of sixteen when he was charged. Because the brain does not fully mature until age 20, I am interested in whether his behavior would have drastically changed had he received immediate mental treatment in juvenile detention, and whether it may be too late for rehabilitation. Researchers have stated that it may be possible for juvenile delinquents to grow out their brain connectivity pattern through tasks that cause them to co-activate motor-planning regions in an effort to better their impulse control (Bradley). I am curious to see whether this treatment could be beneficial to Crawford. Regardless, brain scans will be an essential tool to properly evaluate this case and formulate an appropriate plan of action for both the defense and the prosecution.

References Bradley, David. "Scanning for Juvenile Delinquency." Scanning for Juvenile Delinquency. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. Moffitt, Terrie E. "The Neuropsychology of Juvenile Delinquency: A Critical Review." Crime and Justice 12 (1990): 99-169. Print. Pankratz, Howard. "Witness: Page Brain-Damaged." And Denver News: The Denver Post. Colorado News, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. Raine, Adrian, Sharon S. Ishikawa, Estibaliz Arce, Todd Lencz, Kevin H. Knuth, Susan Bihrle, Lori LaCasse, and Patrick Colletti. "Hippocampal Structural Asymmetry in Unsuccessful Psychopaths." Biological Psychiatry 55.2 (2004): 185-91. Web. Weiss, David. "The Campground Murders." Wilkes-Barre. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2013. Weiss, David. "Grandma: Murder Suspect Raised Amid Trouble." Timesleader.com. Times Leader, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.