Criminal Profiling Topic of the Day: Narcissism Increasing the World Over

I just came back from a three week trip to India and while in New Delhi I gave a presentation on criminal profiling and its usefulness to investigations within the country. Psychopathy, I discovered, is on the rise and all one has to do is read the The Times of India to find out how bad it has gotten.

April 1 - Father bludgeons son to death when the latter resists his sexual advances towards his wife

April 6 - Drunkard gambler kills wife to clear off debt

April 7 - Businessman gets brother-in-law killed over Rs 300 crore worth of property

April 14 - Schoolteacher kills seven members of her own family who objected to her affair

April 18 - Son suspect father of having affair with his wife. Hacks wife and kids.

April 18 - Executive kills his adopted parents and pregnant wife. He was having an affair.

Frightening, isn't it? Indian sociologist Ravider Kaur notes that there is an increase in individualization of self: that individuals don't wish to be controlled by family. In other words, narcissism is rising within India and instead of cooperating with society and family, more people are simply killing off those who don't go along with their program.

Why is the self-centeredness becoming such a problem? Where does it come from? What is changing the world over that we should see so many people become victims because someone in their life objects to their existence?

One possibility is a change in attitude toward entitlement and expectations. The is an increased number of people one have very high desires and thinks other should give them what they want (or get out of their way if they are blocking their goals). If they fail to achieve their goals and quickly, they rage against society and any part of it they feel has a part in their failure.

It would be an interesting cross-cultural study to see how psychopathy is gaining inroads in other country. Meanwhile, I have joined forces with the Academy of Investigation and Intelligence Management in New Delhi to train detectives because there is surely going to be a big need to criminal profiling as the violent crime rate rises.

Criminal Profiler Pat Brown