W2 Short Answer Worksheet [due Mon]

Running Head: CASE STUDY 1

Case Study 4

Case Study

Chalyne Arvie

CPSS417

23Sept19

GARY ZARCHY

Childhood History and a brief summary of crimes:

Hamilton Howard Albert Fish is a renowned name in serial killing, child rapes, and cannibalism. He has a long list of crimes to his name including rape, murder, cannibalism, torture, kidnap, grand larceny, self-harm, mutilation of young children, voyeurism, coprophagia, picquerism, pedophilia, and the list goes on. He was born in Washington in 1870 and he belonged to a very unusual family. His father was 43 years older than his mother and was aged 75 at the time of his birth. He had three alive siblings but a few dead. His father died soon after his birth and his mother was not able to bear his expense so she sent him to an orphanage. He belongs to a family which has a long history of mental illness. His uncle, sister, brother and three other relatives have recorded a history of severe mental illness; even his mother suffered from hallucinations. The time Albert Fish spent in the orphanage was the most crucial stage in his life which had long implications in his later life. He was assaulted there again and again and a time came when he started liking it which was a very unusual reaction to expect from a young kid. When his mother got a little financial stability, she got him out of orphanage but the damage was done which was never realized until late. Even after getting out of the orphanage, at the tender age of 12 years he met a boy who he had a sexual relationship with and he introduced him to gruesome acts of coprophagia and urolagnia. These acts induce further illness in him as he started going to public bathrooms to look at young boys get undress. He has an inclination towards obscenity. His obsession grew with time. He was attracted to every obscene act and practice, for example, he once visited a wax museum where his fascination with the bisection of the penis started. Over the years he kidnapped, raped, mutilated, killed and eaten a number of young boys and girls. Although three cases have been proved against him and he was suspected in few more were but he claimed that his victims were over 100 and in different places. These claims were not proven or categorized whether he was talking about rapes, murders or cannibalism (Aken, 2015).

ACES score:

Childhood trauma has severe ad lifelong implications on the mental health of an individual. In the case of Albert Fish, his family history of mental illness and his childhood trauma had their share in making him the cruel criminal he was. The ACES score shows that his score is 8 out of 10. The major risk factor which contributed to such a high score is his parent's relationship with him. His father died and his mother left him at the mercy of orphanage. These conditions humiliated him and made him afraid in the start but then he got sued to it and started enjoying it. His family had mental illness and it is right to assume that he was pushed, grabbed and slapped by them and even if they did not do it. He was definitely subjected to physical violence in his orphanage where he stated that boys did things, which they should not have. The exact age of the boys is not mentioned who assaulted him but there are records of him getting assaulted during his time at the orphanage. He did not have enough to eat or suitable clothes to wear. He must have felt like no one in his family loved him that is why they left him at the orphanage. His father's early death must have impacted him. The mental illness of people near to him including his mother, sister, and brother were also huge risk factors into molding his mindset in its shape.

Extra familial and family factors:

Family is where the roots of a person are. If roots are weak, none can become strong and prosperous. The issue with Albert Fish started with his family. He had a very troubled family and their relation with each other and even with themselves is way too complicated and complexed. His father is 43 years older than his mother is the starting point of understanding that things were not well. After that, he had a family history of mental illness. His mother suffered from hallucinations. His brother and sister were also mental patients. His uncle along with three other relatives suffered from mental illness. These family factors contributed a lot to his mental illness. A healthy family and safe environment are required by every child for his/ her nourishment and healthy mind but in case of Albert fish all these factors were missing. He lacked a normal healthy family. He was raised in an orphanage where his basic needs were not met rather he was beaten, whipped and assaulted. After such circumstances, the people he met in his life also introduced him to further mental illness. All these factors had their impact on making Fish the monster he was (Sharma, 2018).

Protective Factors:

A small light can brighten a darkened room. All the factors and conditions around Albert fish were making him a mentally ill person but only if there were some protective factors if havoc could have been avoided. The time frame show's that when he was married and had kids, he was not mainly involved in any major ill-doings but before and after his marriage he was involved in multiple crimes. This family was his was a protective factor which helped him reduce the risk of his involvement in crimes. If he had on or two sincere friends and a little supportive family, he would not have been involved in crimes. He lacked the protective factors which he needed to stay sane and live a healthy life.

References Aken, C. v. (2015). The Use of Criminal Profilers in the Prosecution of Serial Killers. Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science, 127-149. Sharma, M. (2018). The Development of Serial Killers: A Grounded Theory Study. Eastern Illinois University, 10-106.