Rachel Nickell Murderer

[Mumble]

First item on the news tonight and mentioned within the headlines. Robert Napper who has been found guilty of the murder has Asperger's Syndrome - apparently this seems important

 

It upsets me so much that if a criminal also has AS this gets mentioned as somehow vital to the story. It's little wonder really that the general public perception of AS is so negative and it makes it very difficult to change attitudes if the first someone has heard of it is in relation to a news article such as this.

 

It's enough of a fight without this.

 

The BBC news article is here

 

[Clare63]

Total agree Mumble, it upset my husband and I too.

 

Clare x x x

[warrenpenalver]

I dont see why they needed to mention AS at all. AS doesnt make people kill. He killed because he wanted to. Even the schizophrenia is not to blame as people with command auditory hallucinations still have the choice whether to act on the voices or not.

[Enid]

Felt sick when I saw it, also the 19 yr old who killed rosie-may had it and the 15 yr old who shot fellow pupils in Canada? had it. I live in a small town and anyone who reads my posts will know how my son behaves at times, I can only imagine what people will be saying now. Very worrying indeed. Enid

[baddad]

I find it slightly worrying that this person has a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and Asperger's syndrome. Obviously, I know nothing of the specifics here, but considering the fact that autism was once 'labelled' as a schizophrenic disorder and many aspects of autistic behaviour are apparent in schizophrenic behaviours, its hard to understand how the individual 'strands' were unravelled to indicate both, and why the 'heirarchy of diagnosis' wouldn't bring Asperger's into question given the behavioural implications of the prime diagnosis.

Sadly, I think that Asperger's has become another 'key' condition that is ascribed fairly casually in almost any scenario where socialisation issues are present in the same way that ADHD has been used to define behavioural issues and dyslexia learning difficulties. As the diagnostic criteria gets more and more 'open' more and more people are going to 'fit' it, and if you couple that with a culture filled with pre-existing prejudices then those negatives will be sought out and exploited in situations like this. 30 years ago a psychologist (or defense lawyer) would have looked for (i.e.) evidence of abuse or childhood trauma as a 'reason' for certain behaviours. 15 years ago it would have been ADHD. Over the past four or five years, autistic spectrum disorder has become the buzzphrase. Even worse, if someone is actively looking for evidence of autism they can find it in anyone (it's just a question of degree), and they can find a professional who's willing to endorse those findings.

 

Leaving all that aside, let's hope that this man's confession and sentencing will bring some sort of comfort and closure to the family of his victim

 

BD

[Suze]

I think its important to remember here, that the majority of people convicted of murder ARE neurotypical..., and the numbers of those with AS who do commit murder is directly proportionate to the occurence of AS to the general population.

 

.......prof digby tantam did a talk which I attended which showed that if you have a dx of autism you areactually less likely to commit a crime than if you are neurotypical.

 

 

............the murder of Rachel Nickel was terrible, I,m glad a conviction has been achieved and the murderer is behind bars, where he should stay forever.

[Cat]

 

 

The press will look for anything on to which they can hang their hat. Of there was nothing they would probably say that the person who committed the murder was 'a loaner' it is amazing how sinister the press can make those two words sound.

 

I 100% agree with Baddad and what he has said in his post

 

Sorry I know that this is a serious subject and I am not trying to make light of it.

 

Cat

 

 

 

[Kathryn]

I find it slightly worrying that this person has a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and Asperger's syndrome. Obviously, I know nothing of the specifics here, but considering the fact that autism was once 'labelled' as a schizophrenic disorder and many aspects of autistic behaviour are apparent in schizophrenic behaviours, its hard to understand how the individual 'strands' were unravelled to indicate both, and why the 'heirarchy of diagnosis' wouldn't bring Asperger's into question given the behavioural implications of the prime diagnosis.

 

I agree. AS seems to have been thrown in as a casual aside to emphasise that this chap is thoroughly abnormal. I first heard the report on radio 4 pm programme yesterday evening, and interestingly despite extensive coverage, they didn't mention AS at all.

 

I looked at the front page of the Times today and was a bit disturbed to read the judge's comment that Napper suffered from two "serious mental disorders, paranoid schizophrenia and Asperger Syndrome".

 

I remember the shocking news of this murder all those years ago - who doesn't? The little boy, (as he was at that time) is the same age as my daughter. I hope that he and the rest of the family will now be able to get on with their lives with some measure of relief now that the long years of uncertainty over the killer's identity have been brought to an end.

 

K x

[Mumble]

the judge's comment that Napper suffered from two "serious mental disorders, paranoid schizophrenia and Asperger Syndrome".

I'm so glad that those in positions of power/authority that others look to as 'correct' ensure that their information is up to date and an accurate portrayal of the situation.

 

[Tally]

I though that a diagnosis of Schizophrenia ruled out ASD anyway, or is that no longer the case?

 

Paranoid Schizophrenia is a particular type of schizophrenia, most schizophrenics would never commit a murder and are not dangerous. Paranoid schizophrenia is extremely severe and also very rare. It consists of considerably more than hallucinations. It seems that it is commonly associated with violent crime.

[Super Suzy]

I though that a diagnosis of Schizophrenia ruled out ASD anyway, or is that no longer the case?

 

NO, it's quite possible to have both dx's.

 

ASD's neither protect from nor aggravate the chances of developing schizophrenia.

 

If one in a hundred people have an ASC and one in a hundred have schizophrenia, then one in a thousand are going to have both.

 

 

[CEJesson]

This annoys me too, ever since the murder of Rosie May Storrie in the village next to me, where the perpetrator had aspergers and was plastered all over the news.

 

It is not right and it is not clever.

Edited December 21, 2008 by CEJesson

[marco]

I guess we all should remember that journalists for newspapers etc are under huge pressure to add whatever detail they can into fairly thin police statements. I remember a few years ago in Wales a murderer was caught and on the news they sensationally announced that amongst the items found by the police was a pair of leather trousers! They had nothing to do with the murders, but he must have been a weirdo, eh?

[warrenpenalver]

Its not the "thin" police statements that are the problem, its the fact that journalism is about making money by selling papers etc and unfortunately the truth is often boring.

[chris54]

I try not to take to much notice of all the irrelevant details that are included in news items. Anything that makes someone "different" from the " norm" are included to try to make more of a story. You read any news store and if you look you will see it. Its just that when it is something that affects you it stands out.

[cmuir]

Hi

 

I think it's sad that reporting that a murderer has Aspergers does nothing to educate people about AS. Sadly, in my opinion it's only reported in order to add to the sensationalise features. One thing that strikes me is that this is perhaps an example whereby the murderer has been failed by some health care professionals, etc - perhaps had he received the right support .... The real victim is of course the poor woman that was murdered.

 

Caroline.

[warrenpenalver]

Anything that makes someone "different" from the " norm" are included to try to make more of a story.

I think that aspect is to make people feel ok about it by distancing "normal" people from such nasty murders. if all these murders etc are "wierd" or "abnormal" or "misfits" or "nutters" then certain types of people can sleep easier at night. The reality is we ALL have the capability to kill in the wrong circumstances but i guess that doesnt make people feel safe at night knowing anyone could turn into a murderer

 

Just look at the Jill Dando and Barry george case. The papers had him written off as guilty because he was "wierd" long before it got near any court. In his case it seems a terrible shame that his character and mental conditions, albiet different from the socially accepted norm, probably got him convicted and put in prison, especially when the physical evidence was as loose as could possibly be called loose, and the other evidence was all circumstantial. Dando was killed by a professional from what has been publisised. Barry George seems mentally incapable of doing that.

 

Whats really scary about such things is if the press keep on picking on mental conditions, learning disabilities, abnormal behaviour etc as reasons for killing, then the public will start becoming afraid of people and even more discrimination will occur. It will isolate people with social difficulties even more making thier lives harder. Not to mention the fact such stereotyping is unhealthy as it would lead to unfair targetting by vigilantes/thugs and maybe even police targeting.