The Criminal's Sense of Uniqueness

Every person is unique physically, psychologically, and in his individual experiences. We all must cope with problems within our life cycle and do so in different ways. Although we think more about our differences, we actually relate to one another more on the basis of our commonalities. We choose partners, neighborhoods, friends, and careers with people who share our interests.

A criminal may offer lip service to what he has in common with others. However, a cornerstone of his self-image is a belief that he is totally unique -- unlike any other human being. An analogy may be made to fingerprints which have common components but also features that render them unique.

The criminal’s perception of himself as one of a kind begins early in life as he considers himself different from family members and his more conforming peers. Because of his secrecy, he is not in a position to know whether others share similar ideas or emotions. Even with other criminals, he rarely confides or exchanges ideas. Setting himself apart because of a lack of empathy and sharing, he comes to believe that no one could possibly understand him. And this eventually becomes true. Shutting himself off from others, he becomes a mystery.

The criminal believes that he is special – smarter, more crafty, more knowledgeable, more calculating, bolder, more successful. The following statements made by criminals whom I have interviewed reflect their sense of uniqueness in being the best, the toughest, and the most successful in all undertakings, including crime. In their boasting, they emphasize that they were in total control of whatever they did.

• “I supplied my whole high school with CDs. I was good at what I did.”
• “I’d go out and get drunk so I could commit the crimes. I controlled how much I wanted to drink and when I would drink.”
• “I’m the one you have to fight. I was known as a fighter.”
• “I’m not like the kids who are stupid in crime. I don’t break into houses. It’s too easy to get caught. Those people don’t think about the chances they take.”
• “I just like to fight, to feel skin against my knuckles, to feel noses break. I always win except when it’s four against me.”
• “I don’t get along with anyone my age. I get mad. They act too immature. I hang out with the wild crowd.”

Summarizing his case before a judge, a prosecutor stated, “Your Honor, the plain, simple, cold-hard fact is that Thomas Smith* is or was a businessman. His business was murder, and his incentive was money…By anybody’s account, the facts in this case are frightening.” The judge sentenced the defendant to life in prison. While being evaluated for transfer from maximum security to a medium security facility, Mr. Smith said the following:

• “Committing murder is easy. I got paid to take the risk….I am honest, compassionate, responsible, intelligent, and ambitious.”
• “I’m good at putting myself in others’ shoes – how are they feeling? What are they thinking?”
• “People in prison stopped seeing me as a security risk, more like a staff member.”

These and other comments made it clear that Thomas Smith had not altered his view of himself in any significant manner, including qualities that he thought distinguished him from other inmates. When pressed, this highly articulate inmate failed to identify any “negative” aspects of his personality. His prison file documented that he had a record of two dozen conduct violations.

The criminal derives an enormous sense of power from thinking of himself as not part of the common herd and as more discerning, sophisticated, clever, or wily. He may acknowledge the achievements of others or express admiration for celebrities and, out of momentary sentiment, praise members of his family. But he is certain that he has the capacity to accomplish whatever is important to him and believes he can do it better than others. His sense of uniqueness results in an expectation that he will emerge at the top of anything he undertakes. Anyone who tries to thwart him is likely to become a target. He does not tolerate what he perceives as a threat even in commonplace situations.

As John was driving, another driver cut in front. Not about to put up with anyone interfering with him, he responded by blowing his horn, screaming, cursing, then giving chase. The other driver accelerated to try to get away. John pursued him off a freeway, where both encountered a red light at the end of an exit ramp. John got out of his car, approached the other driver and taunted him, urging him to get out of his car. The man opened his window and asked, “What’s the problem?” John spat in the man’s face and roared off.

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Because criminals like John regard themselves as unique, boundaries or rules do not apply to them. If held accountable, they denounce rules as stupid or irrelevant and may even claim that they had no hand in making them. In a group counseling session, this sense of uniqueness poses a huge barrier to change. The offender does not think there is anything wrong with himself. Why participate unless there is immediate gain? If he joins such a group, he readily identifies flaws in fellow members but does not think that these apply to him

Even when a criminal is depressed, he believes that no one could possibly understand what he is going through. Not only does he think he is unique in his misfortune but he also is certain that he does not deserve what is happening to him.

An irony is that in his sense of uniqueness, a criminal is just like other criminals: All regard themselves as totally unique.

*The name is changed to provide confidentiality