Author Jennifer Chase

Out & About Magazine — July 2011

Posted on July 7, 2011 by jchasenovelist

It’s official! It’s summer! And Out and About Magazine has hit the stands in the valley and on the coast in California. You can view it online as a digital format or download as a PDF file: Out & About Magazine

You can view my monthly column for book reviews and crime safety tips on page 34. Find out what’s in store with fiction/thriller author Lisa Gardner with Love You More.

Hope you’re enjoying your summer!

Blog: www.authorjenniferchase.com/
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Books: Compulsion = Dead Game = Silent Partner = Screenwriting

Posted in Writing | Tagged author jennifer chase, book review, crime safety, monthly column, out and about magazine | Leave a comment

Should “Hebephilia” Be Considered a Mental Disorder?

Posted on July 6, 2011 by jchasenovelist

The world of forensic psychology is a dynamic one that involves ongoing research and debate regarding the motivations behind crimes, the role of mental illness, and proper place of medical professionals in determining someone’s punishment. The contributions made by psychologists are not without their run-ins with controversy. For instance, the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is due out in 2013 and workgroups are considering inclusion of a psychiatric diagnosis that is being met with strong resistance.

Hebephilia, or the sexual attraction to pubescent minors, is being discussed as a new mental disorder. This label would come into play into cases of statutory rape that involve victims between the ages of eleven and fourteen.

One vocal opponent of this proposed disorder is Dr. Allen Frances, who was chair of the DSM-4 Task Force and who serves as professor emeritus at Duke University. In a recent blog post published for Psychology Today, Frances asserts that sexual attraction to those who have reached puberty is hard-wired and very common, pointing to popular advertising campaigns and their use of sexualized teenagers in appealing to adults, and that these urges must be controlled. The feelings remain from a time in our history when people did not live long enough to delay sexual activity past adolescence. Frances believes that sex with a teenager in today’s society is indeed a heinous crime and such urges must be controlled, but that such an act is not a sign of a mental disorder.

What are your thoughts on defining sex with a child who has reached puberty as a mental disorder?

Is this a legitimate addition to our psychological labels, or are we making excuses for a rapist who made a very bad decision?

Posted in crime, Criminology | Tagged author jennifer chase, compulsion, dead game, DSM, hebephilia, mental disorder | 3 Comments

Are There Two Varieties of Psychopaths?

Posted on July 4, 2011 by jchasenovelist

I came across an interesting article explaining that psychopaths may come in two varieties: psychopaths who are incarcerated for criminal acts and psychopaths who may never be incarcerated or caught for their criminal activities.

I thought this was an interesting concept to ponder.

The article was based on the working theory that there is a difference between psychopathic individuals who exhibit these types of behaviors and end up in psychiatric facilities or prison and those who seem to evade the law.

Psychopathic behavior relates to the Axis II Personality Disorders. Individuals who fit the definition of psychopathy also meet the diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder and commit the majority of violent crimes. The psychopathic personality disorder is generally associated with crime and violence in addition to having the severe characteristics of superficial charm with the lack of insincerity, truthfulness, and remorse.

Many times we hear about psychopaths and it evokes images of serial killers from major motion pictures like Silence of the Lambs or Zodiac. This is always great information and research for crime fiction. But in fact, individuals who exhibit psychopathic behaviors can be anyone in society like a neighbor, boss, family member, politician, or even friend.

Interestingly, there have been studies from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles that suggests, through stressful tasks, would produce an increase in heart rates in male psychopaths that have eluded criminal prosecution than convicted psychopaths. It was further suggested that the increased heart rate and heightened physiological reaction to stress might assist in their ability to evaluate risky situations in order to benefit from their criminal activities.

It all seems to boil down to whether or not psychopaths who commit crimes can make the right decision based on their physiological reaction to stressful condition, and whether or not law enforcement will catch them.

The concept of two varieties of psychopaths definitely warrants more study and consideration when approaching crime scenes and conducting investigations in order to learn more about how and why these types of individuals commit specific types of crimes.

Posted in Criminology, Uncategorized | Tagged award winning author and criminologist jennifer chase, crime fiction, criminology, emily stone series, psychopaths | 2 Comments

California’s Attempt to Ban Sales of Violent Video Games to Minors Loses in Supreme Court

Posted on June 29, 2011 by jchasenovelist

My second novel, Dead Game, features the popular online gaming culture, an activity in which players usually assume fake identities and live in a fantasy world. In Dead Game, some of the men and women who engage in a virtual murder mystery find themselves the victims of very real crimes.

My state of California recently made an attempt to keep some of the bloodier and more explicit video games out of the hands of children, perhaps in part out of concern that actual crimes or acts of aggression could eventually occur. But, the Supreme Court decided that such a measure would infringe on the First Amendment rights of young people.

Currently, there is a voluntary rating process that the gaming industry can use on its products in order to provide some guidance for parents. But, California and several other states have argued that this information is not enough and that government must intervene to protect kids from graphic images. The justices, however, determined it should be left in the power of parents and other adults purchasing the games for children to decide if the violence or sexual overtones are too much to bring into their homes.

The two justices who offered a dissenting opinion in this case argued that the First Amendment does not extend to speech (specifically, in this instance, violent images) directed at kids that does not first go through the filter of a parent’s permission. So, there should be nothing wrong with requiring an adult to make the purchase.

The kids in 2011 certainly aren’t playing Pac Man and Donkey Kong anymore. What are your thoughts on the abundance of graphic video games out there today?

Should there be a ban on the purchase of these products by minors, or should that decision be left out of the government’s hands?

Posted in crime, Dead Game | Tagged author jennifer chase, dead game, first amendment, rating video games, video games | 2 Comments

Woman Arrested for Filming a Traffic Stop

Posted on June 27, 2011 by jchasenovelist

My first two novels, Compulsion and Dead Game, feature a vigilante crime fighter named Emily Stone. This woman takes it upon herself to track down the most dangerous criminals in her community and then anonymously hands over the evidence she has collected to police before quietly moving onto the next case. She uses surveillance equipment, determination, and great instinct to bring many violent offenders to justice.

In Rochester, New York, another Emily recently took the law into her own hands. The twist here, though, is that she was tracking the law itself.

Emily Good was arrested in May for filming a traffic stop that was occurring outside her home. Although she never left her front yard, she was ordered by the officers on the scene to go inside because they felt her presence was threatening. Ms. Good refused to leave her yard or to stop filming and she was eventually arrested. She is now facing the misdemeanor charge of obstructing governmental administration.

The video captured by Ms. Good found its way onto YouTube and now has become quite a sensation, with viewers arguing over where this amateur cameraperson had every right to film from her yard or if she should have followed police orders and filed a complaint later if she desired.

We should find out very soon what a judge thinks of Emily Good’s decision to fight authority with a video camera.

But, in the meantime, what do you think? Was Ms. Good within her rights to film the traffic stop? Or, could her presence have been a distraction that placed the safety of the officers in danger? Let me know what you think!

Posted in Compulsion, Dead Game, Police | Tagged 99 cent kindle, author jennifer chase, thriller, traffic stop, video | 2 Comments

Photography Sunday — Wildlife of the Monterey Bay

Posted on June 26, 2011 by jchasenovelist

I’m so fortunate to live in a beautiful area full of wildlife. Here are some additional photos of some of the wonderful animals that inhabit my area.

Hope you have a relaxing weekend!

Enjoy!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged author jennifer chase, monterey bay, photography sunday, wildlife | 2 Comments

Responsibilities of a Crime Scene Investigator

Posted on June 24, 2011 by jchasenovelist

The job of a crime scene investigator isn’t glamorous or exotic as it’s portrayed on popular television shows. It is extremely important and necessary for any criminal police investigation in order to find out who committed the crime and to bring the perpetrator(s) to justice.

In my novel Dead Game, Emily Stone tracks down serial killers and uses techniques of crime scene investigators in order to gather evidence anonymously for the police. She uses procedures that many investigators use at homicide crime scenes and she is careful not to disturb potential evidence. She takes identifying photos from various distances and searches potential crime scenes in a grid pattern.

In “real” life, there are many different law enforcement personnel to help the investigator to determine what happened and who committed the act.

What are the main objectives of a crime scene investigation?

1. Reconstruct the incident.

2. Determine the sequence of the events that led up to the incident.

3. Establish the mode of operation (MO) of the perpetrator(s).

4. Uncover the motive for the crime.

5. Find out everything the criminal(s) may have done at the crime scene.

6. Discover, if any, property that was stolen from the scene.

7. Recover and process all physical evidence at the scene.

The actual examination of the crime scene is a thorough and exhaustive effort for the investigator. There are many things that must be considered and the best way to proceed. Generally, the investigator must begin to reevaluate the sequence of events, being careful not to miss anything in the initial search. A systematic survey of the scene including the immediate surroundings, both indoors and outdoors should be implemented. Absolutely everything should be written down as it’s discovered, along with a detailed diagram of the scene, which should be clear, concise, and meticulous.

If at all possible, using two crime scene investigators to examination a crime scene is the best and most effective technique. The team should work in a cooperative manner together, not on separate tasks. Two people can cover much more than just one person. A common technique is that one investigator discovers aspects and clues about the scene and reports it to the other investigator to write down. When the search is completed, the two investigators begin again, this time switching positions. This system can be quite effective in not missing any key piece of evidence that will assist in solving the crime.

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