Situational Determinants of Criminal Behavior

Is there such a thing like wrong place, wrong time? Or maybe an accumulation of events that lead people to behave in bad ways. Situational determinants are factors that influence criminal behavior. As I read about this concept, I thought about how sometimes good people do bad things. Are people entirely bad or entirely good? Could there still be good in the bad? One thing that Schneider, Grumman & Coutts clarify is that understanding situational determinants does mean removing responsibility for the acts (2012, p. 248).

When I read about situational determinants, I quickly linked the topic to a TV show I’m currently watching called Ozark. Although I am aware that the story depicted in this show is not real, it still got me thinking. In summary, the story presents a family in big trouble. Marty, dad and financial planner, involved in money laundering for years, nearly was murdered by the cartel’s boss after he found out that Marty’s partners have been stealing money from him for years. Everybody was killed but Marty convinced the drug lord to let him and his family live with the condition that he would keep laundering money for him a new place full of opportunity for the business. The boss was convinced and gave him a timeframe to clean 8 million dollars. Then is about surviving and struggling to fulfill his promise and accomplish the goal. I have not finished the show, so I am still watching as he and his family struggles in this new place. He faces a reality that is not what he told the boss, gets in trouble with a local drug farmer, is followed by the FBI and is constantly threatened.

So why did I think about this show when reading about situational determinants. A little more halfway through the show, one episode is entirely dedicated to present the before of the story. This guy and his family were normal people and you confirm he was a decent guy. He is presented with an opportunity which he repeatedly declines but situational determinants influence his decision until he and his wife accept the job opportunity. They needed money, the wife could not find a job and they justified their decision with very wrong expectations. As soon as he accepted the job, the boss killed the previous person who was laundering money for him in front of Marty. In that moment, he probably knew he was now stuck with a very bad person. Fast-forward 10 or 15 years, he is doing the unimaginable to keep his family alive; something the was sure would never happen.

Situational determinants of criminal behavior are not justification of actions. Rather, they provide an insight into what factors influence a person to commit a crime. Schneider et al., explain two factors; proximal variables and distal variables. Proximal variables are those that occur close in time to the actions of the person while distal variables are those that occurred long before the actions of the person (Schneider et al., 2012, p. 248).

I thought, this could totally happen in real life but I do not know any stories that I could tell. Then I remembered a movie I watched a few years ago called Bernie, based on a true story. The movie basically presents the picture of Bernie who is very popular in the community. Everybody knows him, it seems like everybody likes him, he is just a great guy. He is versatile, he can do anything; always involved with the community. A rich, elderly woman of the community becomes a widow and Bernie soon becomes friends with her. Soon they are spending a lot of time together and traveling the world. Bernie gets very involved in the lady’s life, even in her financial affairs. After years, the relationship is difficult and the lady is very demanding. Bernie seems to become tired of her behavior and trapped in the situation. Then, one day, he killed her.

In relation to situational determinants of criminal behavior and in accordance to the story presented in the movie, the lady’s behavior which was abusive and possessive led Bernie to detonate and end her life. This of course is not excuse or justification for his actions in any way. It is interesting however, the support he received 20 years ago. Most people in the community supported Bernie and stated that this lady was indeed very difficult.  He was sentenced in 1999 to life in prison and supporters at the courthouse yelled “We love you, Bernie” (Hollandsworth, 2016). This is such a complex story. Was he really influenced by her behavior? Could he still be considered a good person who did a horrible thing? The victim’s family, naturally, do not think this way and do not care for situational factors. There is the movie version, there is Bernie’s version and there is the family’s version. The fact is that Bernie will spend his life in prison because no matter what factors determined his actions, he is responsible and did committed murder.

People are influenced by different factors, personal and situational factors that impact one’s actions at a certain moment in life. Some factors could be closely related to the present and some others could belong to the past, but they influence a person’s behavior. It is not about justification but about understanding the crime.

 

References

Schneider, F., Gruman, J., & Coutts, L. (Eds.). (2012). Applied social psychology (Second ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

HOLLANDSWORTH, Skip. “Bernie in Hell.” Texas Monthly, 31 May 2016, www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/what-to-make-of-bernie-tiede-now/.

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