Minds of rapists, other criminals work in frightening and uncompassionate ways
Most criminals couldn't really care less about their victims. When they say they are sorry, it usually means they are sorry they got caught.
They may say they care and are sorry just before the judge passes sentence. Then they may weep an apology to their victim or their victim’s family, but what they really care about is judicial leniency — spelled less time behind bars.
Minimizing and rationalizing their way through life, criminals just keep on doing what they do. In a thief’s mind, any one better off than he or she is is “rich” and probably has insurance on the bigger items and will not even miss the smaller items stolen. If the victim did not lock up his or her property or left it unattended, the crook will rationalize that the victim did not care about the property, so why not take it?
Burglars certainly do not care that their actions invading someone’s home leaves many with the feeling that their one sanctuary, the one place they felt safe and secure, has been violated by some jerk who only cares about what can be stolen and sold. If you doubt that a victims' feelings change about their home after a home invasion, look at how many victims move out in a year or two.
What does the serial rapist in Ann Arbor think about his crimes? Does he realize that he has put an entire community on edge because of his actions? What will he say when he is caught and interviewed? I would love to be a fly on the wall and listen because it is truly amazing how rapists justify their crimes.
The rapist who was the first criminal convicted on DNA evidence in Washtenaw County, had been to prison twice before. The criminal justice system educated him each time he was arrested.
Once he was arrested because his victim would never forget his face. After several years in prison to reflect on his mistake he learned to use a mask when he entered in the middle of the night to sexually assault his victims. The next time he went back to prison it was due to fingerprint evidence. When he got out of prison he adapted and entered in the dark of the night wearing a mask and gloves. Crime buffs and police officers reading this will correctly identify the process used by that rapist as a “progression of m.o. (modus operandi).”
Progression of m.o. happens when a criminal meets with some sort of problem and modifies how he commits his crime in order to be more efficient and less likely to be caught.
That particular masked and gloved criminal must have missed a scientific journal or two while in prison. James Watson and Francis Crick’s Nobel Prize winning isolation of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) double helix and its subsequent use to solve crimes was just starting to gain acceptance in U.S. courts. In 1989 that rapist was caught and convicted on DNA evidence. Clearly that serial rapists’ only thought about his victims was how to stalk, terrorize, attack and more importantly get away with raping them.
Before being caught that sexual predator was actually spotted at a Take Back The Night rally when most in attendance were there to protest and prevent his crimes. More frightening still is the fact that this fellow is up for parole in 2015.
Another serial rapist my partner and I interviewed clipped the maps of his attacks from the newspaper. When I asked him what was in the mind of the guy doing those crimes; did he want to hurt the victims or kill them, he told us, “Those women who died just gave up.” It was matter of fact and chilling for two reasons.
This rapist and killer thought so little of his victims that he rationalized that it was the victim’s fault if they died, not the fact that he beat them into unconsciousness before raping them. The second reason was that he said women—plural — and Ann Arbor had only one homicide victim. Rest assured we searched for other homicide victims, but found none.
We as a community must catch this latest rapist! He won’t stop unless he is caught or unfortunately moves away to victimize another community.
If you see the suspect or someone who looks like the police composites acting suspiciously or criminally call 9-1-1 immediately. If you have information about a possible suspect call the Ann Arbor Police Department hot line at 734-794-6939.
If you wish to remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward up to $1,000 call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP (1-800-773-2587), or text CSM and your tip to CRIMES (274637), or submit your tip online at: www.1800speakup.org.
Lock it up, don’t leave it unattended, be aware and watch out for your neighbors.
Rich Kinsey is a retired Ann Arbor police detective sergeant who now blogs about crime and safety for AnnArbor.com. He also serves as the Crime Stoppers coordinator for Washtenaw County.
Comments
Chase Ingersoll
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 12:28 p.m.
Lots of similarities to Washington Politicians and Wall Street Bankers.
Amanda Erickson
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 4:08 p.m.
TO TRESSPASS: "Psychobabble from an ex-cop who thinks he is a psychiatrist" .... REALLY???!!! Shame on you! Do you have any idea what law enforcement sees/experiences on a daily basis? Do you understand how hard it is to go through the crap that they go through and deal with scum as a career? No. You don't. You just want to run your mouth. It just blows my mind how some people act so entitled. Give the guy a break. And...how about the next time you need help and call 911 they just "skip" your house.
a2citizen
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 5:03 p.m.
Trespass, The world is not a dichotomy of criminals and non-criminals? What other category would you like to add? "...To heck with innocent until proven guilty..." Actually, the examples Rich provided were of men that were considered but then WERE PROVEN guilty. Ann Arbor. 36 square miles surrounded by reality.
Amanda Erickson
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 4:54 p.m.
Tresspass: Where are you getting this from??? Talk about twist the guys words. Why don't you take a walk in his shoes... I am not saying that police officers have the right to pass judgement or act without reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed. I am also not saying that law enforcement is free from misconduct. What I am saying is that as citizens, we empower and intrust our police officers to serve and protect. Therefore, there are certain liberities and inherant rights that come with that profession. Are you willing to willing to leave your family at all hours of the night to go to a call? How would you like to peel kids off the pavement of a car accident, or have a paranoid PCP addict spit on you and tell you that he has AIDS? How would you like to walk around essentially with a target on you because you chose to be a police officer? After 26 years on the force, I would say that Kinsey has earned his right to author an article based on his experiences. We are not talking about some kid out of the academy with a chip on his shoulder and something to proove. Please have some respect.
trespass
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 4:25 p.m.
Police have a tough job so we should just agree with them and let them do whatever they want. Mr. Kinsey proposes that the world is a dichotomy or criminals and non-criminals. To heck with innocent until proven guilty or any of our other rights. Once you are a criminal you are a bad person and I am free to do to you what I will. The Chinese consider Falun Gong practicioners to be criminals. Many police officers thought it a crime for a black man to be "upity" in the 50's and 60's. We have freedoms that many other countries do not and it is not up to an individual police officer to decide who should have those freedoms and who should not. That is up to the courts.
BhavanaJagat
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 4:05 p.m.
Spirituality:My relationship with Myself : I commend Trespass for describing the problem of Sociopath. Mental Health describes the ability of man to develop harmonious social relations. This author has described that criminals may not care for the feelings of their victims and may not improve by subjecting them to punishment. What he had failed to mention is the problem of man's relationship with himself. We always speak about man's social relations and the feelings involved in such external relationships. Man is not a composite of body, mind, and soul. The corporeal substance of man is the same, and is derived from a single cell. We cannot divide man into distinct categories called body, mind, and soul. However, I divide man into two categories based upon human anatomy and human physiology; these are 1.the Self which represents man as a physical, mental, and social being, and 2. the Knowing-Self which represents man as the Moral and Spiritual being. I call man, including the criminals, a spiritual being as his body substance is of spiritual nature. The physical being called man is truly an organism with trillions of individual cells. Man's Identity and Individuality is the expression of bonding, association, partnership, and relationship between these cells. Man exists in relationship with the cells of his physical being. If this relationship is based upon feelings of sympathy and understanding, it could be called a spiritual relationship. Man must understand his own self and seek a spiritual relationship with himself. If he does, his external social relationships would include feelings of care and empathy.
BhavanaJagat
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 5:41 p.m.
Thanks for kindly asking that question. Rape describes the nature of human conduct and behavior which is not based upon respect and trust. If I have and maintain a spiritual relationship with myself, my relationship with myself would be based upon feelings of respect and trust. If I trust myself and treat myself with respect, I would hesitate to seek gratification of my sexual desires in a disrespectful manner. My sexual desires are not really different from the desires experienced by other humans including rapists. I use the sense of discernment, the ability to distinguish right from wrong, good and evil as my relationship with my physical being is of spiritual nature. The quality called temperance describes the use of reason while acting in response to passions, and strong desires. Having said this, I also beieve in my Indian tradition and man must always experience and taste the fruits of his own actions. A rapist is no exception; his sexual passion could be true and natural, but he must face the consequences for not using discernment.
a2citizen
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 4:57 p.m.
How do you divide rapists?
ThaKillaBee
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 3:38 p.m.
I wonder if it takes a similar mind-set and lack of empathy for a police officer to point a gun in a citizen's face out of boredom? <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/the-police-surveillance-box/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/the-police-surveillance-box/</a>
a2citizen
Thu, Aug 11, 2011 : 11:55 p.m.
"...Legally speaking ..." Thankfully there is a statute of limitations, legally speaking. So Rich has no reason to apologize.
Milton Shift
Thu, Aug 11, 2011 : 2:50 a.m.
Not old news. It hasn't been dealt with. There has been no apology from Rich Kinsey for his criminal inaction. Legally speaking he was an accomplice in the commission of a violent felony.
huh7891
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 11:49 p.m.
Old news...please move on
ThaKillaBee
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 6:59 p.m.
I'm going to provide that link for as long as I can, because it is atrocious. And my question was rhetorical--it absolutely does take a lack of human empathy to point a loaded gun into someone's face.
a2citizen
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 4:21 p.m.
I assume someone is going to provide that link everytime Rich writes an article. But to answer your question. No, it does not take a similar mind-set.
Fatkitty
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 3:12 p.m.
It seems that those persons who commit crimes (of all types) possess varying degrees and forms of mental illness. I can't think of any other reason why someone continues to repeat the same behavior, over and over again, even after being incarcerated for that behavior. And then, to even find a way to commit the crime "more efficiently", of all things! These individuals deserve no compassion. I have no sympathy for the career criminal. Tough, I say, if his/her "upbringing" or whatever hard knocks brought him/her to drop to this low life. Round them all up and ship them off to a distant planet or desert island. In the meantime, the A2 rapist sits and plots his next attack. Art Fair brought crowds and traffic, and party atmosphere for him to hide and thrive in. Guess what's on the horizon? Fall semester begins in less than a month...... crowds, traffic and party atmosphere.........
A2K
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 3:05 p.m.
Good article! I'd be far more of an advocate for the death penalty if we had a more Just, justice system...but it's still true that the more money you have, the more you get-away scott-free, regardless of crime. It's a system that is too often based on money and argument, not truth or justice! If we had a more infallible system, I'd support the death penalty for: violent/serial rapists, 1st-degree murderers, child-molesters, treason, and flagrant acts of fraud that cause financial ruination on a state-wide, national, or international scale.
actionjackson
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 2:03 p.m.
The way I read this is a criminal, whether a rapist, burglar, car thief, etc.... is just doing what comes more naturally than working for a living. Consequenses of getting caught are just another stint in a jail or prison that is a second home anyhow. Once one has a conviction why not carry on with what they do? Sad reality but I see the reasoning behind it. Go to prison, learn better techniques, get out and try not to get caught again.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 3:08 p.m.
"a criminal..... is just doing what comes more naturally than working for a living." One might argue that crime is "work". That a criminal is merely self employed in a legally unacceptable "profession".
Kai Petainen
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 1 p.m.
i'd have to wonder about the recent case... ... was it timed for maximum media exposure? it happened just before art fair...
EyeHeartA2
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 12:57 p.m.
Great article as usual, Rick. So, in your opinion, it doesn't sound like 'just telling them this is not OK' would be effective?
Gordon
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 12:52 p.m.
Interesting and less then helpful comments by a "everyone should have a gun" and a popular fiction book trained pyschoanalysis. What is the intent of the article? Why write it? Does everyone understand the selfish point of view taken to the extent of stealing including physical asault> Maybe the article was just trying to make some understand that there is no way to reason with some people. We are not talking about an argument we are talking about violence. Yes, people get mad when they shouldn't. Police are people too. Get mad less often then the public they serve. Too many 'normal' people beleive they only have to say no for the criminal to stop. Or threaten them by saying they will call the police. I think the article is trying to get those (not everybody) to take this activity seriously. Those who do take it seriously can afford to be a wise guy find the debatable points for a class in sociology, law, psychology. Call it bully, call it improper parenting, call it what you want; but be sensible and expect no quarter from the education of a criminal who isn't interested in your in feelings or arguments.
Will Warner
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 11:58 a.m.
Forgive the pedantry, but the phrase is "couldn't care less," not "could care less."
EyeHeartA2
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 7:52 p.m.
Oh gawd, I could care less about pedantry.
a2citizen
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 3:20 p.m.
I think Craig has won this picayune debate.
DBH
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 3:08 p.m.
For those who might care, the phrase "could really care less" that was originally in this article has been changed (with no editorial or author's note to this effect) to "couldn't really care less." I maintain that such corrections should be noted within the article (preferably an editorial comment at the beginning). I find it disappointing that such changes continue to be made (as they have in the past in other articles) by AnnArbor.com without an editorial note to that effect. Regarding Craig Lounsbury's point, I believe it has validity. However, I also think it depends on how you look at the two phrases. You could consider them as being on a continuum of caring, as he does (shades of gray), or you could consider it as recognizing that could is the opposite of couldn't (black or white). Personally, I prefer the latter but recognize the validity of the former. In any event, stating "could care less" when that is not what you mean (apparently, recognized in retrospect either by Mr. Kinsey or the AnnArbor.com editor(s), as evidenced by the unacknowledged change in the phrase in the first sentence of the article) obviously should be avoided.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 2:51 p.m.
"Could care less" means just the opposite of "Couldn't care less." I would contend that's not accurate. The opposite of "Couldn't care less." would be "Couldn't care more" The "caring" or lack of caring has reached its limit. "could care less" means you have some unspecified room to move before you reach your limit. That is not the opposite it's merely a point on the "Couldn't care less/more." continuum.
arborani
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 2:30 p.m.
DBH, you rock.
DBH
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 1:35 p.m.
Personally, I don't consider it pedantry, I consider it common sense, thinking about what it is you are writing. "Could care less" means just the opposite of "Couldn't care less." Why write the opposite of what it is you're trying to convey?
MDavid
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 11:12 a.m.
I was struck by the statements "Minimizing and rationalizing their way through life, criminals just keep on doing what they do." and "He won't stop unless he is caught or unfortunately moves away to victimize another community." Quite frankly, chronic criminals are not unlike predatory animals. Farmers and ranchers have been hugely successful for centuries at providing safety for a large group of animals when predators with bad intentions threaten the health and productivity of the herd. So there is a real-life model for this problem and a quick cost-effective solution, but it's not sending the predator to a camp where it can run and learn from other predators. Bad animals are dealt with -- once. And you know what? The farm or ranch becomes peaceful again and budget-busting sums of money are not spent at a boarding kennel or on a team of animal behaviorists to make a wolf or a coyote want to co-exist calmly and productively among the cows and the sheep.
Milton Shift
Sat, Aug 13, 2011 : 1:36 a.m.
Huh, sounds like a North Korean "farm."
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 12:45 p.m.
are you suggesting capital punishment for a wide range of crimes beyond murder?
trespass
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 10:55 a.m.
Psychobabble from an ex-cop who thinks he is a psychiatrist. "Most criminals could really care less about their victims." That kind of sweeping statement is what cops use to rationalize their right to beat up suspects, protesters, trespassers, and others suspected of petty crimes. Watch a few videos of cops using tasers to punish victims who simply don't follow their orders quickly enough. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFH9kmKZX_o" rel='nofollow'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFH9kmKZX_o</a> What Mr. Kinsey is describing is a "lack of empathy", which is an important criteria for the diagnosis of "sociopathy". Some criminals are sociopaths but it is a small minority of the suspects that are arrested by officers like Mr. Kinsey. It is important to all of us who might be stopped for a minor traffic violation or a noisy party that police officers do not take the mind set that most criminals are sociopaths. This is not reporting and as an opinion piece it adds little of value to our community, except to show how a police officer thinks. AA.com editors should be more critical of the columns they publish.
Matt Cooper
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 4:23 p.m.
1. This is not some "ex-cop". Kinsey is a very well respected, and decorated detective with many years of professional service with the AAPD. 2. I'm guessing that his years of dedicated service and experience by far outweigh any illogically informed opinion of any commentator here. He's arrested more ciminals thatn you can possibly fathom. It is because of officers like him that you sleep well every night. 3. There are certain posters here, whom I shall not name, that are and will forever be anti-police, and will take the side of the criminal in each and every instance. Their opinions are not based on facts, education nor experience, and yet they spout of again and again, calling the cops every name imaginable and accusing them of every form of corruption...and all without a shred of evidence, mind you. 4. This is an opinion piece. All newspapers have an op/ed section, where people from the community, of which Detective Kinsey is of this community, are free to offer their thoughts on a variety of subjects. If you don't like the opinions expressed here, you are free to choose to not read what's written. 5. If anyone here hates cops so much, don't you dare call 9-1-1 the next time you need one. You can't have it both ways.
Deb Anderson
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 3:31 p.m.
This ex-cop probably has more insight into the criminal mind than any psychologist, journalist, and almighty you rolled together.
a2citizen
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 3:17 p.m.
Trespass, Rich is not a reporter, he is a community contributor. Even the NY Times has community contributors and opinion pieces. Is this rant psychobabble from a frustrated wannabe reporter?
djm12652
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 2:47 p.m.
Thanks for the video link...I wish I had had a taser to get my rapist to follow my orders when he continued to assault me after I told him stop...and it was probably my fault because I fought, and I'm sure the guy that raped me did care, he just didn't know how to verbalize it so I was most likely the one that was uncaring by not understanding him... but hey, ya know I was probably insensitive to his mental state, he probably wasn't a sociopath...but like Mr. Kinsey's article, that's just my opinion...and I'm just typical A2 quasi-intelligencia...ya know?
bedrog
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 1:30 p.m.
Trespass...you should go to England and hector the cops for interfering with the "first amendment rights" ( or the british equivalent) of the current rampage of looters and sociopaths. To his credit david cameron noted that his efforts to restore order will not be swayed by "phoney human rights issues". Do you know each other??
Ricebrnr
Wed, Aug 10, 2011 : 10:42 a.m.
Criminals don't care about victims and only about themselves you say? Wow good to know... Second take away, criminals don't adapt if they don't survive their crimes... Armed victims usually aren't victimized. Keepandbeararms.com