Psychopaths, Pathological Liars, and Scam Artists

Posted on December 11, 2010 by jchasenovelist

Psychopaths aren’t always career criminals and serial killers, but many times they are because they can’t help themselves as they exhibit distinct patterns of behavior.  A psychopath is an individual who views others as sources of gratification and acts accordingly without remorse or conscience. 

Individuals who con others are generally psychopaths.  For the most part, we assume that most people are honest.  For a psychopath, they prey upon this trait and that’s why so many people hear only what “they” want them to hear.  Many times in relationships, the pathological liars or scam artists pace the relationship exactly how it will best suit their own needs.   For example, a romantic liar paces the relationship so that it becomes intense very quickly — to their advantage.   

Pathological liars tend to know more about your personal details than you know about theirs.  It is highly cautioned that before anyone jumps deep into a relationship that you know more about them.  Ask yourself, “What do I really know about them and is there evidence to back up the information that I’ve been told?”  Be cautious.  There’s nothing wrong with that.

Scam artists have certain behavior patterns and tactics for their victims.  They often try and isolate a person from their family and friends to limit the people that might help with a reality check on their story.  Often, they constantly keep track of a person’s whereabouts.

There are definite signs to look for with these types of psychopaths.  These people spend a lot of time talking about themselves, bragging about things that are larger than life, amused by cruelty, and many times have a constant need to borrow money by making excuses.

Posted in Criminology | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Main Characters that Make a Lasting Impression

Posted on December 3, 2010 by jchasenovelist

Everyone has their favorite leading characters from movies and books.  I know that I seem to gravitate towards strong, no nonsense, kick butt female leads like Sarah Connor in the Terminator trilogy.  These characters make you cheer when they overcome their struggles and obstacles that are thrown their way.  However, some of my favorites may surprise you. 

Here are a few of my favorite memorable characters in no particular order:

1.      Sarah Connor, Terminator series (movies)

2.      Lincoln Rhyme, Jeffrey Deaver series (books)

3.      Harry Potter, JK Rowling (books & movies)

4.      Odd Thomas, Dean Koontz series (books)

5.      Jack Reacher, Lee Child series (books)

6.      Miss Marple, Agatha Christie Mysteries (books & movies)

7.      Clarice Starling, Silence of the Lambs (book & movie)

8.      Lt. Viktor Burakov, Citizen X (movie)

9.      Officer John McClane, Die Hard series (movies)

10.  Detective Jane Rizzoli, Tess Gerritsen series (books & TV series)

Why do we love these memorable characters?  These characters seem to stick with us after we finish a great book or watch an exciting movie.  As we read or view a particular story, we want to feel a part of the storyline.  We want to feel engaged, interested, and to be able to use our imagination.  It’s important to feel or relate to a certain situation that the main character is struggling with during the book or movie.  Even if the character is out to save large group of hostages in a Los Angeles high rise as in the movie Die Hard, we still feel fear, pride, confidence and want to see the hero prevail.     

When I sit down to create a character for my own books, I try to imagine all of the triggers that make you want to read on and cheer for the character to succeed.  In my books Compulsion and Dead Game, my heroine Emily Stone was a fun character for me to create as she hunts down serial killers anonymously and then covertly emails the cops the information.  I enjoy this character because she’s doing the right thing and she’s also providing assistance to the already overworked police departments.  I imagine all of the dangerous and tight predicaments that she might get herself into to find the killer, pedophile, or lost child.  

In my newest release Silent Partner, Deputy Jack Davis is a hardworking cop who tries to do the right things, but realizes that things aren’t always what they seem to be in the world.  I remember hearing a screenwriter/professor tell his students, “Create characters worth caring about.”  I think that has always stuck with me. 

Creating characters that are wonderfully flawed, strong, weak, confident, and triumph no matter what, will keep readers and movie-goers coming back for more.

Who are some of your favorite and most memorable characters?

Posted in Dead Game, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Serial Crime Happens in all Types of Crimes

Posted on November 21, 2010 by jchasenovelist

When you hear the term “serial crime”, immediately your mind thinks of “serial killers”.  The reality is that serial crime means any type of crime occurring in a pattern that indicates a single offender.  However, there has been some debate as to whether or not a habitual offender or a career criminal should be defined as a serial criminal.  Forensic scientists, law enforcement, and criminologists have suggested that only serial murder, serial rape, and serial arson constitute a serial crime.

I feel that a serial crime is a serial crime, no matter what the offense.  To make everyone working in the criminal justice system happy, you could divide serial crime in two categories:  violent and non-violent or crimes against persons or property crimes.  All crimes are important and should be solved or linked to other crimes if at all possible.  When you’re looking at the evidence from a crime scene that entails the physical forensic evidence, behavioral evidence, and victimology, you conduct the investigation in a way to find the most logical offender.  There is a distinct pattern of behavior that will emerge on these types of cases.  Hopefully, an objective profile will emerge and the investigation will take a positive direction that will lead to an arrest – no matter what type of crime.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics revealed that in 2009 violent crime decreased by 6.1% and property crime decreased by 5.5%.  Interestingly, the closure or clearance rate of crimes has dipped a bit in the statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice.  The clearance rate for murder is 66%, rape 41%, and burglary 12%.

I’ve stressed in previous blog articles that criminal profiling is an essential tool in conducting investigations.  It shouldn’t just be used for serial murder cases.  It would be highly effective in rape and burglary cases.  Rape, assault, and burglary have extremely low clearance rates.  When an unknown assailant commits these types of crimes, the percentage of the case being solved drops even more, most likely to zero.

Police departments would benefit by objective, behavioral criminal profiling for most unsolved cases.  It would assist them in linking cases and finding common clues that would lead to an arrest.  This of course, is my opinion about serial crime, but one that I feel is worthy of more discussion in the future.

Posted in crime | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Jack & Keno Fight Crime in Silent Partner

Posted on November 14, 2010 by jchasenovelist

Police K9 units are sometimes the unsung heroes of law enforcement.  Most people don’t know much about them, except the fact that these chosen patrol officers have a four-legged partner instead of a human partner.  And of course, the fact that these partners can stop and bite the bad guy or find hidden drugs, explosives, or lost people. 

There are definite positive aspects to having a canine as a partner.  They don’t have a bad day, complain about a spouse or relationship, or have any personal problems that could hinder their job performance in the line of duty.  It takes a strong, driven person to train with police dogs.  You must have an understanding of dogs in general and know the limitations of the task you’re undertaking. 

I had the wonderful and amazing opportunity to train with the local K9 in my area for scent work.  I remember the first time I brought my dog into a large warehouse building to search for narcotics.  We had already trained in simulated, controlled scent searches.  Now this time, I had to find (or rather my canine Trucker) had to find the hidden drugs.  It was a huge building.  I felt overwhelmed and quite small in the scheme of things.  The trainers and police officers watched.  That was a lot of pressure for me – I could feel their eyes on the back of my head.  I wanted to be able to handle the exercise just like the “big” police guys.  My hands shook and my legs felt a little rubbery.  As I looked to my dog, he knew exactly what to do.  I unhooked his leash and gave the command “search”.  My dog took off, a big circle around the warehouse.  He then confined his search into a grid pattern, systematically sniffing.  I could tell that he got a scent and he was just honing in on the exact location.  My heart pounded.  I tried to move into the building casually, but I was holding my breath.  Within three or four minutes, my dog began to get excited at an old cupboard.  He sat, which was his passive alert.  His eyes were bright, energy was high, and he knew that there was a find.  I opened the cupboard door and gave the command “search” again.  My dog touched his nose in the area and sat.  I turned and looked at the trainers that we had a find.  They all had big smiles on their faces.  What a great day!           

In Silent Partner, hero Deputy Jack Davis along with his partner Keno, have to be at the top of their game at all times.  They come in contact with murderers, homeless people, victims, arrogant other cops, old friends, good times, betrayal, lies, deceit, and yes of course thrown into the trail of a serial killer.  Readers will have the opportunity to see into a modern day police K9 unit world.  It’s guaranteed to be exciting and entertaining. 

Jack is a kind, considerate person with a heart of gold, but has the strength and tenacity with the law on his side.  He gets pushed into making some tough choices that will change his life and how he perceives the police department.  Each day is a choice for him and what choices he makes may surprise you. 

Keno, bright eyed, intelligent, loyal, will have you cheering in several places in the story.  What better partner to have your back than a top police dog?  Keno adds another interesting dimension to a cop thriller.        

Check out Silent Partner, available in paperback and ebook formats.

Posted in K9, Silent Partner | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Test Your Crime Knowledge

Posted on November 7, 2010 by jchasenovelist

I love finding interesting tidbits and fun facts when I’m researching for my books.  I came across a ten-question quiz related to crime.  I missed one, number #9. 

These are actually tough.  Try your luck and see how well you know crime history.  I’ve posted the answers at the bottom. 

Good luck!

1. These _____ realities remain fluid and often contentious.

a.                   Jacques Derrida

b.                  Deconstruction

c.                   Structuralism

d.                  Henri Bergson

2. In the United States since 1930, the FBI has tabulated _____ (UCR) annually from crime data submitted by law enforcement agencies across the United States.

a.                   Joseph L. Gormley

b.                  Behavioral Science Unit

c.                   Uniform Crime Reports

d.                  National Incident Based Reporting System

3. These laws vary from time to time and from place to place: note variations in gambling laws, for example, and the prohibition or encouragement of _____ in history.

a.                   Louisiana

b.                  United States

c.                   Duel

d.                  Hawaii

4. 2380 BC-2360 BC, _____ had an early code that has not survived; a later king, Ur-Nammu, left the earliest extant written law-system, the Code of Ur-Nammu.

a.                   Short chronology timeline

b.                  Samsu-lluna

c.                   Hammurabi

d.                  Rim-Sin I

5. The Romans systematized law and applied their system across the _____.

a.                   Byzantine Empire

b.                  Roman Empire

c.                   Roman Republic

d.                  Western Roman

6. Crimes defined by treaty as _____ include:

a.                   Murder

b.                  Criminal Law

c.                   Crime against International Law

d.                  Conspiracy

7. The _____ owned all the family and its property (including slaves); the pater enforced matter involving interference with any property.

a.                   Roman Magistrates

b.                  Mos maiorum

c.                   Pater families

d.                  Roman law

8. This posits that the nature of the world or of human beings underlies the standards of _____ or constructs them.

a.                   Virtue

b.                  Moral relativism

c.                   Morality

d.                  Conscience

9. _____ wrote in the 13th Century: “the rules and measures of human acts is the reason, which is the first principle of human acts.” (Aquinas, ST I-II, Q. 90, A.I.)

a.                   Thomas Aquinas

b.                  Duns Scotus

c.                   Blaise Pascal

d.                  Immanuel Kant

10. One of the earliest justifications involved the theory of _____.

a.                   Immanuel Kant

b.                  Georg Wilhem Friedrich Hegel

c.                   Thomas Quinas

d.                  Natural Law

1. c, 2. c, 3. c, 4. a, 5. b, 6. c, 7. c, 8. c, 9. a, 10. d

Posted in crime | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Criminals Beware! There’s a New DNA Spray in Town and it Wants to Tag You!

Posted on November 1, 2010 by jchasenovelist

Criminals see businesses, such as pubs, restaurants, jewelers, service stations, and convenience stores as easy targets for quick bucks.  Unfortunately, this type of crime can actually cripple a business and tag it as an easy target for future attacks. 

A new security development has a cutting edge liquid technology that is helping to significantly reduce theft and armed robberies for targeted businesses.  It’s called DNA Guardian.  It helps to establish a forensic link between suspects and specific crime scenes. 

The primary benefits of DNA Guardian is a deterrent against planned or opportunistic attacks, non evasive in the installation process, and provides law enforcement with additional evidence to identify the suspect(s).

Here’s how it works.  It’s installed above a business at the entry/exit point.  The system operates by marking suspects with a clear, non-toxic, water based solution containing a unique chemical code, similar to DNA, which lasts on the skin (even after showering) and clothing for weeks.  When the crime occurs, staff can activate the solution by pushing an under the counter panic button or a remote device.  The mist is colorless, odorless, and can spray several suspects without their knowledge.  The unique chemical code lights up under a black light.     

It’s clearly a deterrent for criminals.  According to ADT Security Australia Managing Director, Mark Norton, “By increasing the risk of capture and conviction, DNA Guardian intensifies a criminal’s fear of being caught to the point where they abandon their plans altogether or go in search of a softer target”.

It is now available in Australia through ADT Security.  This high-tech crime-fighting tool used overseas has actually reduced theft by 84% with a 100% conviction rate.  It doesn’t get much better than that!  Don’t be surprised if you see a warning sign of “DNA Spray” at a local business in the U.S. sometime soon.

Posted in crime, Forensic | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Strong Supporting Characters Crime Fiction Novels Can’t Live Without

Posted on October 23, 2010 by jchasenovelist

Writing a thriller, especially a crime fiction thriller, is challenging and very demanding.  There are so many things that you need to be aware of throughout the story, like pacing, twists and turns, and maybe a surprise ending.  It’s almost like you need a checklist to tick off every time you make it through one of the harrowing scenes.  I don’t just mean on paper either.  It usually feels like you’ve lived the scene a hundred times before you tweak a chapter just right.  That can get pretty tiring.

One of the most important aspects that I find in creating a proposed page-turner is that you need strong supporting characters for your protagonist and antagonist to interact with to move the plot along.  This is one of my favorite parts of writing a novel.  I love to incorporate a character that brings out many different emotions for the hero(ine). 

In my second novel Dead Game, I created the charming, but annoying, know-it-all Jordan Smith that really kept my heroine Emily Stone on her toes.  I like creating characters readers can either relate to, or know someone just like them.      

In my most recent novel Silent Partner, one of the supporting characters just happens to be a four-legged Labrador retriever named Keno.  Not only is he a dog, but a police dog as well.  For this crime thriller, I wanted to add another dimension to the twisted chase of good guys and really, really bad guys.  Don’t be fooled, this isn’t a warm and fuzzy dog story by any means, it’s a down to the second chase to apprehend a serial killer.    

My characters aren’t modeled after “real” people, they are a combination of people and of course my imagination.  However, Keno’s character was in fact my own Labrador named Trucker.  We trained with the local police K9 and I couldn’t think of a better dog to back up Deputy Jack Davis.  

On an extremely sad note, as I was writing Silent Partner, Trucker was stricken with an aggressive cancer and three days later I had to put him down.  It was an extremely emotional time for me and this book almost didn’t get written.  But, life goes on and I thought what better way to keep his memory alive and share all of his wonderful traits with readers in  Silent Partner.

Posted in Silent Partner, Writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment