Disorders with Violence: The Case of Jack Ruby
Disorders with Violence
Violence in modern
society is ever increasing and affects everyone at one time or another. Many
experts believe that the increase in violence is due in no small part to gangs,
substance abuse and use, availability of powerful weaponry, and the newest
introduction to the American way of life, terrorism. Attempts to understand
violence is an ongoing challenge among professionals. The main debate is
focused on two concepts, social stressors and personality traits as predictors
of violent behaviors. There is sufficient evidence to support both theories
(Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009). In this case study the focus is on the
cause of violence; the reactionary result of perceptions. The case of Jack Ruby
is the perfect example of reactionary violence associated mental illness. His
violent response to Lee Harvey Oswald would make him famous and provide
valuable information in the search for answers regarding violence and mental
disorders.
The Case of Jack Ruby
The case of Jack
Ruby begins November 22, 1963, a sunny day in Dallas Texas as President
Kennedys’ motorcade makes its way through the crowded streets of Dealey Plaza.
Shots ring out and the president is hit; fatally wounded from a shot to the
head. Hours later Lee Harvey Oswald is arrested at the Texas Theater for the
assassination and held in the Dallas City Jail. On November 24, 1963 The Dallas
police arranged to move Oswald from the Dallas City Jail to the Dallas County
Jail only one mile away. This public declaration of transfer would give Ruby
the opening he needed. As dozens of media professionals filtered into the
basement entrance of the Dallas City Jail to capture the transfer for news
outlets Ruby slipped in among them and waited for his chance. Moments after
Oswald made his infamous claim “I am just a patsy” a single shot was fired
hitting Oswald in the abdomen; sending him crumbling to the ground in pain and
eventually causing his death. The shooter, Jack Ruby, was immediately taken
into custody. Ruby stated that he had killed Oswald in a temporary fit of rage
and depression over the assassination of the President (Warren Report, 1964).
In general it seemed
that the case of Jack Ruby was one of a “perfect storm”; beginning with his
meager beginnings, an oppressive social concept of anti Semitism, and his need
to feel more than just a Jew but a man; recognized and respected. These early
years played their role in the creation of a violent pattern that would emerge
in Ruby’s life beginning with his participation and membership in gangs of his
era. This early introduction to violence as a reactionary response to stress
would become a theme that would be found throughout Ruby’s’ adulthood. His
early influence of “strength in numbers” would be continued as he organized the
scrap metal workers of his area which would lead to his involvement with Jimmy
Hoffa; a well known mob boss who was known for his violent reactions in
settling disputes (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009). This connection would
lead to others that were similar and in each instance it appeared that the
responses became more and more violent; leading up to the assassination of Lee
Harvey Oswald and his declaration of depression in his defense of his actions.
Biological factors
Biological factors
that influence human behavior include self-preservation, reproduction, and
greed. Self-preservation is to physically or psychologically keeping the body
alive. Self-preservation for a child can include the withstanding of torture or
following the direction of a killer. The reasons for self-preservation and
reproduction are founded in selfish instinct. The instinct to prey or be a
predator as well as changing characteristics to continue living and reproducing
are reasons for self-preservation. Biological survival strategies can be a
learned behavior. Fight or flight is the two responses to an environmental
factor that the human can change physically to adapt to the situation.
Gathering of resources keeps a human safe and provides a continuation of
reproduction. The unconscious motivation to take resources and use them as an
advantage is greed. The three general biological factors of self-preservation,
reproduction, and greed are ways that influence human behavior.
The biological
factor that affects Jack Ruby is his genetics. Jack Ruby’s mother has
deteriorating paranoia and bouts of emotional instability. Jack Ruby’s father
is physically abusive. Jack Ruby and his siblings enter into foster care but
saw their mother occasionally. Jack’s mother even though separated from her
husband became emotionally and physically abusive toward her children. Jack Ruby
grew up with depression and anger secondary to the genetic factors of his
parents. Jack Ruby’s self-preservation most of his life relied on the
biological factor of obeying others,
such as his parents, Al Capone, and organized crime. Jack Ruby’s statement
after the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald states he had an epileptic seizure at the
time of the shooting, showing the biological factor comparable to Jacks
mother’s paranoia condition.
Psychological factors
Fear of failure,
depression, stress, relationship issues, personality disorders, loss of loved
one, and issues with self-esteem influence human behavior through psychological
factors. Psychological factors, such as childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, and
the inability to relate to others because psychological factors that influence
human behavior. Psychological factors play an important role in human behavior
because experiences shape the past, present, and future behavior of humans.
Jack Ruby spent his
life in criminal activity and chronic disobedience. Jack’s neglectful and
abusive parents play a role in the psychological factors of depression. Jack
has the diagnosis of affective disorder. Jack’s welfare department clinic notes
state he has bouts of depression in childhood as well as adulthood signifying the
diagnosis of affective disorder. Jack’s antisocial personality disorder
escalates from his name association with organized crime. Antisocial
personality disorder individuals have the willingness to kill for money or
conduct crimes for power. Jack has connections to Castro, law enforcers, and
judges through organized crime. Jack states that he killed Oswald so that Mrs.
Kennedy and her children did not suffer through the trial of Oswald.
Social Factors
Social influence has been become an important
focal point in clinical psychology.
Clinical psychologists believe that behavior can be influenced by
cultural environment, larger social factors and even political factors (Plante,
2011). This makes it impossible to study
human behavior outside of a larger social context. Social factors are so powerful that they can
either cause longevity or death.
In the Jack Ruby case, the potential for crime
and violence stemmed from Jack’s learned behavior. According to social psychology, behavior
results from the interaction of an individual and his or her environment (Meyer
& Weaver, 2009). Jack was reared in
a household that was violent and abusive.
His father was very abusive towards his mother and he was slapped
often. There two theories that might
explain Jack’s behavior. Cognitive
dissonance holds that an individual seeks to relieve stress or tension when
there are two conflicting beliefs. “The
beholding of two dissonant mental representations either lead to the
reevaluation of one of them or to the emergence of a third cognition to amend
the internal conflict” (Dias, Oda, Akiba, Arruda & Bruer, 2009).
Ruby’s conflicting thoughts were between love
and cruelty for his parents which resulted in him producing a new cognition
that he did not need anyone so it did not matter what anyone thought. At that point Ruby did not hold any regard
for values of society. Another theory,
the diathesis/stress theory of behavior explains that everyone possesses
strength and weaknesses but as stress arises weaknesses tend to surface (Meyer
& Weaver, 2009. Because Ruby had
been predisposed to violence as a child, whenever he was in a stressful
situation, he had no problem manifesting those violent tendencies. His behavior had become so notorious that he
became a murderer.
Interventions
There are many
causes for violence but there are also intervention strategies. Personality
patterns can be modified through individual psychotherapy. Medications can also be prescribed to
suppress or alleviate anxiety and inappropriate behavior. The patient may undergo psychosurgery, a
procedure which alters brain functioning pattern.
With violence that
is a result of social learning, family and group therapy will help alter the
family and social setting. Other
training and behavior modification will help inappropriate behavior to
subside. For example, systematic
desensitization (SDT) will help to desensitize or calm the patient from certain
stimuli that will cause violent behavior. Along with psychotherapy, basically, the same
interventions are used to minimize frustration while reinforcing positive
experiences.
Whenever violence is
used as a means of communication expressive therapies will substitute violent
means of expression. Again,
assertiveness training, SDT and effectiveness parenting training are put into
operation. Individuals may
become violent whenever feeling their space or territory has been invaded. Individual psychotherapy will improve how
individuals feel about themselves. SDT
and assertiveness training also help. (Plante, 2011).
Prediction of Violence
Classifying a person
dangerous is a long term observation. Every person can display a dangerous
character trait depending on a situation. A person must display specific
indicators such as family history, social environmental stressors, potential
substance abuse, current mental status and even intelligence level. When a
person has made an attempt at violence they become a potential risk to do more
dangerous behavior (Plante, 2011). It is the impact of such things as
neurological disorders, social and environmental influences that causes them to
repeat violent behavior. Direct exposure to violent behavior makes a person
feel that the behavior is acceptable and it becomes a learned response, such as
the abuse between Jack's parents and then between Jack and his mother. Family
dynamics and economic status display risk factors for violent behaviors.
Validity and
reliably of predicting violence behavior can give a false positive as there are
too many unknown factors (Plante, 2011). False positive can lead to labeling
that can lead a person who may only had risk factors but not enough evidence to
be considered violent now in confusing treatments. Treatment can lead a person
to become violent due to forced environment change and the people in the
environment that have acted in a violent behavior (Sewell & Mendelsohn
2000).
There are many
advantages using indications of potential violence. Indictors allow for red
flags to go up and treatment to begin. There are indictors that detect if a
person is following through with violent behaviors or if the person is only
exposed to it. Indictors allow a person who has had history of family violence
to identify the behaviors. When a person is able to identify the behaviors and
what possible stressors lead to violent behavior, they can learn different
techniques to address the emotions (Sewell & Mendelsohn 2000). Prediction
of violence could have stopped the mental and physical abuse that Jack was
exposed to. When his mother was committed, Jack displayed more indictors
that were left untreated, leading him to seek happiness from violent acts.
Summary Conclusion
Jack Rudy as a child
that had the social stressors of watching his father abuse his mother and learn
that is was acceptable. Jack Rudy's life changed forever when his siblings were
all taken from him and he was left to become the victim of abuse from his
mentally ill mother. Jack wanted to feel like he belonged and found it in crime
and violence. He wanted to please who ever made him feel like he belonged.
Early on Jack battled with depression and began to lash out at anyone who he
felt did him wrong. Jack gave no thought in seeking help because everything he
had was taken from him and his mother was locked away. He become
overwhelmed with conflict, unable to process what was truly right and
wrong. He wanted to be the "Hero" when he killed Oswald.
Looking at Jack Ruby biological factors, environment and psychological factors
all of them pointed him in the wrong direction. He could not move past the
experiences he had as a child and become filled with rage. In his mind what he
was doing was acceptable. Intervention early in the developmental cycle would
have removed him from the exposure, provided a positive outlet and even the use
of medications could have helped him in the long term.
References
Dias, Á., Oda, E., Akiba, H., Arruda, L., &
Bruder, L. (2009). Is Cognitive Dissonance an Intrinsic Property of the Human
Mind? An Experimental Solution to a Half-Century Debate. World Academy Of Science, Engineering
& Technology, 54784-788.
Retrieved from Ebscohost.
Meyer, R.G., Chapman, L.K., & Weaver C.M.
(2009) Case Studies in Abnormal Behavior (8th Ed.). Boston, MA;
Pearson Education. Allyn & Beacon.
Plante, T. G. (2011). Contemporary clinical
psychology (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons
Sewell, K. W., & Mendelsohn, M. (2000).
Profiling Potentially Violent Youth: Statistical and Conceptual Problems. Children's
Services: Social Policy, Research & Practice, 3(3),
147-169.
Taflinger, R. (1996, May 28). The Biological
Basis of Human Behavior. Washington State University - Pullman, Washington. Retrieved
from http://public.wsu.edu/~taflinge/biology.html
Warren Report. (1964) Warren Report Chapter 1
Summary and Conclusions. Narrative Events. Retrieved from
http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0013a.htm
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