Contributing Factors

Discuss about the Criminal Psychology for Coparenting and Marital Functioning.
 

On the facts here, Mr. Sage has been subjected to physical or sexual abuse since his childhood and had a lifelong history of disturbing behavior, which includes outbursts, yelling in public, tearing books and breaking windows. While he was in foster care, he used to bark like the dogs and brought tree branches on the bus. He also had a habit of  running away. Additionally, fire setting is another disturbing behavioral trait that Mr. Sage uses to alleviate his anxiety or get his work done. He has been diagnosed with medical problems like pyromania, personality disorder and bipolar disorder. 

During the lifetime of Mr. Sage, the factors that have contributed to the development of the problem are enumerated below:

Lack of family bonding- natural father unknown, mother had two daughters from prior relationship and a son by his stepfather who were least concerned about him, as they did not in contact with him (Bögels et al., 2014).

Abusive stepfather- The stepfather sexually abused Mr. Sage during his childhood, which also had an adverse impact on him (Finkelhor et al., 2014).

Domestic violence – His stepfather physically abused his mother and her two daughters and son, which is another predisposing factor (Osofsky, 2018).

Multiple foster cares- Mr. Sage was raised in several foster care institutions under distinct situations (Schimmenti & Bifulco, 2015). 

The factors that have exacerbated the problem are as follows:

Firstly, he had a habit of not following directions of the caregivers and would frequently run away from his placements or become disruptive (Finkelhor et al., 2014). After turning 19 in 1994, Mr. Sage left foster care but was provide with care services. Due to his disruptive behavior, the caregivers did not want him to stay.

Secondly, from 1996-2000, Mr. Sage attempted to live all by himself supporting himself on welfare and residing in hotel rooms in Melbourne. His housing breakdown habit has made him known as emergency client of shelters as tend to stay for long duration in such hotels (Yen et al., 2015).

Thirdly, in 2003, Mr. Sage was charged for causing disturbance in Melbourne for which he pled guilty and was subject to supervision during a brief probation period (Yen et al., 2015).

Fourthly, in May 2006, Melbourne, Mr. Sage was charged with mischief under $5000 for breaking several windows at the home of former caregiver that he had been visiting. This incident was not a single incident and occurred several times before (Fernandez & Johnson, 2016).

History of Abuse and Lack of Family Bonding

Lastly and the most recent incident that has triggered the problem was when he had been living in a share house where a conflict arose between Centrelink staffs and the housemates. Mr. Sage had uttered threat to set the house on fire if payment is not increased. In order to ensure that his demands are filled, he piled the clothes of the housemates on stove burners and set the house on fire. 

Mr. Sage lacked family bonding, as his mother herself was not very keen to maintain contact with him for which he has been brought up in several foster care institutions (Bögels et al., 2014). Further, he had been diagnosed with conduct disorder, Anxiety disorder and a type of mental health disorder that is “unspecified”. His family members detached him from his family and none of them were interested in him or had any desire to remain in touch with Mr. Sage except for one of his sisters (Fish, Szabo and Turgoose, 2017).

Further, he has developed a behavioral pattern where he sets houses on fire while he is in crisis and wants to lessen his anxiety to get his work done (Fernandez & Johnson, 2016). It is evident from previous incidents like in 2006, Melbourne; a fire was started in a dumpster in the entrance of an emergency shelter.  The disturbing behavior of Mr. Sage and his history are likely to result in similar incidents in the future if they are not properly addressed.

The positive traits that can be found in Mr. Sage are that he never had any problem with illegal drugs or alcohol. He called his ser vive providers as friends as he is dependent on the direction or instructions of others and on a predictable, fixed routine. It can be stated from the given facts that Mr. Sage behavioral patterns change whenever external control is imposed on him.

The DHHS maintained contract with proprietary care homes and other related services with an objective to render care services to Mr. Sage after he left the foster care on attaining 19 years. Further, another community service provider was involved with Mr. Sage in 2003, namely, Forensicare Outpatient Service for a six-month probation term. This service provider was voluntarily involved with Mr. Sage even after the expiry of the Probation Order. 

Mr. Sage has never been married neither have been engaged with anyone for marriage. He had no peer-relationship with any men or women as is evident from his life history that he had never been in a relationship. He recognizes his service providers as his friends and faced difficulties if the service providers are changed or if he has to adjust with any new person or relationships.

Exacerbating Factors

Individuals or group of individuals who are involved in anti-social or illegal activities that results in commission of crime and influences any other individuals to engage in such activities as well are known as anti-social peers (Andershed, Gibson & Andershed, 2016). However, Mr. Sage was subjected to sexual abuse during his early years. He never had friends and neither was engaged in any illegal activities. He was engaged into neither alcohol nor drugs.

Any person who keeps oneself away from making new friends or socialize with people is  called a social person. In this case, Mr. Sage could not adjust with new people as his behavioral problems commences every time there are changes in his life.

If any person has faced or has experienced anti-social behavior in his childhood or at any time in the past, the person is said to have an anti-social behavior. Mr. Sage has history of anti-social behavior since he was a child like barking like a dog or bringing tree branches in the bus or running away from foster cares (Fish, Szabo & Turgoose, 2017).

Mr. Sage had little or no contact with his mother or his brothers and sisters except for one sister who subsequently maintained contact with Mr. Sage. The other family members had no desire to remain in touch with him and his stepfather even sexually abused him. 

Mr. Sage lived in foster care institutions all his life and attempted to live by himself on welfare and in hotel rooms in Melbourne.  Every time his house broke down, he took in shelter in hotels for longer period and recognized as emergency client of shelter. He was unemployed and faced frequent crises. He was under responsibility of the caregivers who served to fulfill all his needs. However, he had a habit of running away from such displacements frequently (Muratori et al., 2016).

Mr. Sage was never involved in pro-social leisure activities due to his disruptive behavioral pattern, as he could not adjust with new relationship or new people due to which he has never been involved into pro-social leisure activities.

It includes alcohol and drug consumption to an excessive level, which often results in commission of crime (Fernandez & Johnson, 2016).  On the facts here, Mr. Sage had disruptive behavioral pattern but he was never involved in any alcohol or drugs consumption. Thus, despite suffering from mental disorder and other related physical disorder, Mr. Sage was not involved in any form of substance abuse. 

References

Andershed, A. K., Gibson, C. L., & Andershed, H. (2016). The role of cumulative risk and protection for violent offending. Journal of Criminal Justice, 45, 78-84.

Bögels, S. M., Hellemans, J., van Deursen, S., Römer, M., & van der Meulen, R. (2014). Mindful parenting in mental health care: effects on parental and child psychopathology, parental stress, parenting, coparenting, and marital functioning. Mindfulness, 5(5), 536-551.

Fernandez, E., & Johnson, S. L. (2016). Anger in psychological disorders: Prevalence, presentation, etiology and prognostic implications. Clinical psychology review, 46, 124-135.

Finkelhor, D., Shattuck, A., Turner, H. A., & Hamby, S. L. (2014). The lifetime prevalence of child sexual abuse and sexual assault assessed in late adolescence. Journal of Adolescent Health, 55(3), 329-333.

Fish, J., Szabo, A. and Turgoose, D., 2017. Exploring approaches to Service User Involvement in Sexual Violence and Domestic Violence Services.

Muratori, P., Lochman, J. E., Manfredi, A., Milone, A., Nocentini, A., Pisano, S., & Masi, G. (2016). Callous unemotional traits in children with disruptive behavior disorder: predictors of developmental trajectories and adolescent outcomes. Psychiatry research, 236, 35-41.

Osofsky, J. D. (2018). Commentary: Understanding the impact of domestic violence on children, recognizing strengths, and promoting resilience: reflections on Harold and Sellers (2018). Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, 59(4), 403-404.

Posch, L., & Bieneck, S. (2016, February). 5. Sexual Abuse of Children and Adolescents: Prevalence and Trends. In Representative studies on victimisation (pp. 109-138). Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG.

Schimmenti, A., & Bifulco, A. (2015). Linking lack of care in childhood to anxiety disorders in emerging adulthood: the role of attachment styles. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 20(1), 41-48.

Yen, S., Frazier, E., Hower, H., Weinstock, L. M., Topor, D. R., Hunt, J., … & Strober, M. (2015). Borderline personality disorder in transition age youth with bipolar disorder. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 132(4), 270-280.