Psychology of White Collar Criminals
This informative article offers an overview with the study & analysis associated with white-collar criminals, which includes numerous perspectives of mainstream media, historical, and criminal justice are provided. The categories of 21st century offenses will be examined and explored thoroughly. The final results regarding 250+ semi-structured interviews with victims, whistle blowers, alleged offenders, offenders and alleged offender’s spouses, witnesses and bystanders are shared. The information yielded, “The Behavioral Descriptors and the Personality Traits of White-Collar Organized Criminals and the White-Collar Organized Community.” The results are corroborated with research and data from working the front line. As security situations are often an part of this kind of work, identifying the presence of psychopathy and evaluating the risk associated are essential elements in preparing for an investigation. The author’s methods are shared, as well as tactics that are used to avoid retribution along with ways to protect oneself, family, and community from these destructive forces present on our society. The International College of the Behavioral Sciences (ICBS) provides this continuing education credit(s) for Diplomates and Certified members, who we recommend obtain 15 credits per year to maintain their status. For more information or to enroll today click here!
Dr. Robert O’ Block, Founder and Publisher
New ICBS Courses!
The International College of the Behavioral Sciences has added new courses to offer! Just click on the following link to see the new courses ICBS has to offer! https://members.acfei.com/_catalog.php
www.acfei.com
www.abchs.com
Dr. Robert O’ Block, Founder and Publisher
Book Review: A Question of Murder
A forensic pathologist, after finishing over a decade in schooling and training, is expected to determine the cause, mechanism, and manner of death. As an expert witness, a forensic pathologist must also determine if any suspicious activity is involved with an individual’s death warrant criminal action. Dr. Cyril Wecht is one of our America’s top forensic pathologists, having worked on numerous high profile cases.
A Question of Murder provides valuable insight into five high-publicity cases that captivated the public, presenting the reader with compelling information that otherwise would have remained private. Wecht explores the mysterious deaths of Daniel Smith and his infamous mother, Anna Nicole Smith. Also discussed are the deaths of Stephanie Crowe and Danielle van Dam, as well as the scandal that took place at a prominent New Orleans hospital in the midst of Hurricane Katrina, where several elderly patients were given injections that ultimately resulted in their premature and untimely deaths.
Dr. Wecht begins each case with a biography of the victim, helping to draw a clear picture of the individual in life. He explains how he became involved in each case and how he used his expert knowledge and experience to analyze the death of each victim. This book provides the perspective of invaluable observation of the arena of forensic pathology, allowing the reader to step into the daily life of one of the nation’s leading pathologists. Wecht illustrates the strong connection from the field of pathology to both the media and the legal system. A Question of Murder unfolds like a mystery thriller novel, making it easy to forget that you are reading about real cases and real people.
Dr. Cyril H. Wecht, MD, JD, CMI-V, CFP, is the author of numerous books and hundreds of professional publications. He has served as president of both the American College of Legal Medicine and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and he has appeared on many television programs, including Dateline, Larry King Live, 20/20, and On the Record with Greta Van Susteren. Wecht is a Life Fellow of ACFEI and board member on the American Board of Forensic Medicine.
By Heidi Bale, RN, CFN
Patient transfers begin with a request for patient movement. This contact may be initiated by transportation staff or a facility. Data to gather immediately includes the name of the patient, nature of the illness or injury, why the need for medical escort staff, the location of the patient and intended destination, date to be moved, current treatment plan, and any follow up care needed. If the patient is incarcerated in your correctional system, print out a “snap shot” of his or her care while incarcerated, and note the demographics. If the medical record is stored at your location, it is helpful to mail it to the receiving facility prior to the patient’s arrival.
Patient Placement
Placement is determined after reviewing data submitted by the sending facility (hospital, prison, jail, or mental health facility), and in speaking with the appropriate correctional transportation staff. A good rule of thumb is to routinely request a copy of the booking sheet (if moving from jail to jail or jail to prison), a copy of the medical records, and medication administration record (MAR). A decision is made based on the patient’s needs: inpatient or infirmary care, outpatient care, mental health services, or acute offsite care. These necessities can include services as diverse as dialysis, obstetric care, cardiac surgery, and physical therapy. The need for a major medical center to be nearby will also factor into the equation. Keeping these factors in mind will assist you in placing the patient in the appropriate facility for continued care.
If the transportation will be within your region, a car or van will generally suffice. You may need a van that is wheelchair accessible instead of the usual passenger van. The patient must be able to sit up and wear a safety restraint. Also keep in mind the terrain to be covered (such as desert, mountain, or the possibility of inclement weather), route to be followed (EMS accessibility, rural roads versus interstate highways), and any planned stops for a restroom break or care interventions.
Contraindications for Flight
The patient must always have a physician’s approval to travel, especially by air. Escorting a forensic patient is not comparable to an aero medical transport by a professional service. There are medical contraindications to flight, especially for those not traveling by a professional air medical transport. These contraindications include recent myocardial infarction; significant surgical procedures; cerebral vascular events; head injury, including cranial and facial fractures; blood clots; being acutely ill or non ambulatory; fractures, including compartment syndrome; having a contagious illness; and anemia. Medical staff would be wise to also consider acute mental health illness and dental conditions that can be affected by barotraumas. If these conditions are present, the options are to refer them to a professional transport company, or wait until the patient is recovered sufficiently to fly or travel by ground.
Ensuring continuity of care is a primary concern. Gathering data from the sending facility and relaying it to the receiving facility can be challenging. Document all contact persons, dates, fax and phone numbers, and information received. After gathering a snapshot of the patient to be transferred, contact the facility that is the most appropriate for receiving the patient. If your healthcare or correctional system has an electronic health record, this makes sharing information easier. Make sure that medical records are exchanged according to HIPAA standards. Whenever possible, speak with the healthcare manager, onsite physician or psychiatrist, and nurse manager for direct patient information. A staff to staff report is encouraged, and the numbers and contact information are shared with both institutions. Upon acceptance of the patient, the planning for transport moves forward. During this entire process, communication is ongoing with transportation staff regarding the destination, patient’s needs, and information related to their safety. It is a good idea to document who accepted the patient at the facility and any reference numbers for contact during transport.
The patient’s medical issues will dictate the equipment carried, but there are some basic items that should be carried during each trip. A rescue mask, gloves, antiseptic wipes, etc, are carried in a fanny pack or small bag. A larger, more inclusive bag may include a stethoscope, blood pressure kit, penlight, duct tape, scissors, pen/paper work, cell phone with contact numbers, and a bottle of water. Other items may be added depending on the patient’s needs. These can include a glucometer and supplies for a diabetic, with a sugar source like a tube of frosting or honey; a urinal (for small aircraft), zip ties, plastic baggies; moisture proof pads; and a pulse oximeter (borrowed from a facility). An oxygen cylinder, nasal cannula, and facemask can be borrowed for special transports as back up, making sure that the oxygen cylinder is flight certified.
When transporting a patient, a few small details should be kept in mind. How is the patient going to get from the facility or hospital bed to the plane? How are they going to get from the curb, through the terminal, to the gate, and on to the plane? You may need to rent a vehicle on arrival in order to travel to the patient’s location, and transport you and your patient from the facility to the plane, when you are traveling on commercial flights. For smaller aircraft, arrangements should be made to have transportation available at the airfield (perhaps through a local service), or have the patient delivered to the aircraft. (These arrangements are made by transportation staff with input from medical staff.) Consider requesting a van or small sports utility vehicle, as they are easier to transfer a patient into and out of, especially for a patient with restraints and in a wheelchair.
“De Plane! De Plane!”
Now that your patient is settled in his seat, it is a good time to look around and see where the emergency equipment is stored and introduce yourself to the flight crew. When necessary, advise the flight attendants of any possible medical issues that may arise during the flight. On a smaller aircraft, talk with the pilots about any concerns; they are more than happy to assist. An oxygen cylinder, AED, and medical supplies are usually located in First Class and near the rear galley on commercial aircraft. The pilots on a small aircraft will show you how to exit in an emergency and where emergency equipment is located. Depending on the needs of your patient, have a plan in mind for emergencies before you leave for the airport. Do you need a snack for a diabetic patient? Medication, oxygen, or wire cutters for that wired jaw? Play with a few scenarios in your head before the day arrives to make sure you are ready to handle an event during transport. The patient will be seated next to security staff, but you will generally have line of sight.
After the plane has landed, contact the receiving institution with an update on the patient’s status, and an updated ETA. Upon arrival at the destination, deliver any medical records you have transported, give onsite medical staff a report, and provide contact information for the sending facility in case they have questions.
Thoughts for the Road
Be prepared. Communicate. Remember that you are a team member with the correctional transportation and security staff; work with them hand in hand. Have fun. Be safe.
Special thanks to: Transportation Unit, Washington State Department of Corrections; Aviation Section, Washington State Patrol; Executive Flight, Inc.
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Twelve
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of preand post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, preand post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
The Meaning of Work
During research at New York University, Wrzesniewski (2003) determined that individuals experience work in one of three distinct ways:
- Job—the individual is primarily concerned with the financial rewards of work.
- Career—the individual is focused on advancing within the occupational structure.
- Calling—the individual works not for financial gain or career advancement, but for the sense of fulfillment that work brings.
Usually individuals who view their work as just a job prior to the onset of injury or illness are less likely to return to work than individuals who consider work a career. In contrast, individuals who perceive work more or less as a calling are eager to return to work following illness or injury.
Employees who believe that work is a calling are not representatives of esteemed professions only. Just as many longshoremen, waitresses, custodians, and landscapers fully invest in their vocations as callings as do teachers, lawyers, and physicians. The meaning of work is an experience unique to the individual and not necessarily a function of how society in general might perceive the job title and the employee’s day-to-day responsibilities.
When organizational leaders can imbue every member of a work team, from the least skilled to the most highly trained, with the belief that each employee is highly valuable and important to the organization’s success, the organization will probably have fewer problems with lost time. Take for example the camaraderie of a hospital maintenance staff. The members of the maintenance staff were encouraged to wear surgical garments to work. The maintenance manager felt that without his crew’s involvement, the hospital could not operate and effective health care could not take place, no matter how skilled the staff physicians. This simple but clever gesture was, of course, designed to remind the maintenance staff members of their critical contribution to the hospital’s daily functioning. That particular hospital maintenance staff had few instances of occupational injury/illness/lost time.
The development of occupational disability or the onset of acquired vocational disability may result traumatically from a single event (i.e., the above the knee amputation in a professional football player), but as we have shown above, acquired total disability is often a process
that involves numerous contributions that are not only medical in nature, but also psychosocial. Because acquired disability is heavily weighted by psychosocial dynamics, we believe that professionals trained in determining impairment (medical authorities) should defer to vocational counselors for a total picture—or explanation—of acquired disability.
To be continued.
–Published by Dr. Robert O’Block
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Ten
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of pre and post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, pre and post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
Litogenic. When representing injured or ill employees (or people pursuing economic damages through personal injury litigation), legal advocates hope to demonstrate that their clients have lost their potentials to work and earn a living. Lawyers, in their advocacy of injured employees, pursue economic recovery in claims such as personal injury, workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, and long-term disability. These litigations almost always induce or encourage an argument of disability. Even the most ethical lawyers believe that their clients have more to gain if they can prove economic damage secondary to vocational disability.
Psychogenic. Psychogenic disability potentials suggests the inability to work because of symptoms caused or produced by mental or psychological factors rather than organic problems. Depression, substance abuse, personality disorders, and psychosis can lead to psychogenic disability. Unfortunately, health care professionals often legitimize symptoms manifested following the diagnosis of a disease or disorder that is not necessarily disabling.
Psychogenic disability can arise when workers blame symptoms secondary to stress on an external cause rather than taking responsibility for reducing the stress. Psychogenic disability is often precipitated by work dysfunction. For an excellent text on psychogenic disability and its causes, see Psychiatric Disability: Clinical, Legal and Administrative Dimensions, published by the American Psychiatric Press, Inc.
To be continued.
–Published by Dr. Robert O’Block
Disability, Dysfunction, or Deception: Explaining Acquired Occupational Disability, Part Eleven
Acquired disability following trauma is an area that is in dire need of discussion and explanation. Unless an expert is fully informed of the multitude of pre and post-injury medical and psychosocial dynamics that surround an individual’s claim of occupational disability, he or she may not be in a position to make absolute judgments regarding residual employability, pre and post-work capacity, or the causal attribution of vocational disability. Causal attribution is critical in determining disability chronicity following trauma, as the host of contributing psychosocial dynamics effecting unproductive states are often overlooked when investigating the most obvious reason for work absence, a so-called explanatory event. A thorough and accurate history-taking is necessary when assessing pre-injury work longevity, determining residual employability, and causally ascribing occupational disability to a particular event. Acquiring a complete and reliable history through various sources places the expert in a better position to offer a professionally certain opinion. Written by Jasen Walker, EdD; from the Spring 2006 Forensic Examiner.
Disability Proneness
Some employees have predispositions toward disabling diseases or illnesses. Disability proneness is a real and significant phenomenon antecedent to and at times a cause of many cases of chronic vocational disability. Individuals with particular work dysfunctions are more prone to occupational disability and claims of incapacity. It is believed by the authors that the workers’ compensation system in particular breeds the requisite conditions for learned helplessness and laziness, and that particular attributional styles make individuals more prone to developing chronic disability than others with different styles of causal attribution.
Illness Behavior
Illness behavior is frequently exhibited by individuals who are indeed sick. However, some individuals exhibit illness behavior that is abnormal or inappropriate to the situation. According to Pilowski (1978), abnormal or inappropriate illness behavior is “the persistence of an inappropriate or maladaptive mode of perceiving, evaluating, and acting in relation to one’s own state of health,” even though available evidence suggests that this illness behavior is unexpected or inappropriate. In other words, inappropriate illness behavior is thought to be exhibited if individuals are convinced that an organic disease is causing their pain or other symptoms but no evidence of organic disease exists or the illness behavior is inappropriate to the organic disease that does exist.
Illness behavior as a concept provides a framework for understanding the observed differences among pain patients. According to the Institute of Medicine (1987), “Illness behavior is a process that includes a perception of one’s own symptoms, and attribution of meaning to them (from something trivial to an ominous indicator of serious illness), and the way in which one seeks help in dealing with the symptoms. Such behavior is influenced by the person’s personality and coping style and by the surrounding culture and society. The fact that such factors can be strong influences on the pain or other symptoms that people experience does not, however, make pain any less real.”
The meanings a patient gives to an accident, sickness, personal suffering, or the relentless presence of pain affect subsequent illness behavior and help order experience in several ways. Patients form causal attributions to account for their perceived circumstances. Limitations imposed on a patient’s lifestyle by chronic pain may be significantly attenuated if the patient believes that he or she can control the pain or can, despite the pain, undertake activities without harm. In contrast, it has been observed that patients who believe they have little or no control over their health and well being (learned helplessness) endeavor less effectively to achieve rehabilitation (Pilowski, 1984). Finally, personal meaning of an illness or symptom may affect self-esteem either positively or negatively. Becoming an invalid, even briefly, can be a blow to a person’s selfesteem. Similarly, being unemployed or forced to accept employment at a lower wage or job status because of pain can be demeaning. However, for some patients embracing the sick role is seen as an elevation in status (i.e., honorably disabled).
These people value the nurturance and special consideration of friends, family, and neighbors that follow injury and the development of chronic pain. Personal meanings are likely to be influenced by the shared meanings of the group to which the individual belongs (Institute of Medicine, 1987).
At the same time, the meaning of work held by the individual and/or the group to which this individual belongs can be a powerful influence on the individual’s capacity or willingness to overcome illness behavior. When work is a central theme in the injured person’s life, chances are illness behavior and associated dysfunction will not lead to total vocational disability.
To be continued.
–Published by Dr. Robert O’Block
