"I am a firm believer that socety has a huge hand in the making of murderers, both in society and behind bars. Do you feel this happened in your case?" --- K.B. of TN

Yes, and no. As you probably know from reading the Fifth Nail blog, I'm not into the "blame game". But, like you, I recognize that there are significant societal influences on everyone's behavior (not just "murderers") that are commonly dismissed, if even recognized at all. And yes, I believe these influences played a major role in the historical process that lead up to my crimes (child rapes and murders). In fact, I could not have committed my crimes if not for the social influences. So maybe, "huge hand" is an understatement.

At the time I believe that we are all individually and collectively responsible for what we do. But, I don't believe anyone should ever be blamed. The difference is critical to me, especially if we ever hope to come to an understanding that can prevent this sort of insanity from destroying our world entirely.

Responsibility comes from recognizing how our choices effect our world. Blame is just a way to avoid responsibility by trying to push it off onto someone or something else. Even if we only blame ourselves we are only making an excuse to not be responsible. Saying, "it's my fault" doesn't solve anything, and it usually only ends up just establishing a precedent for more destructive behavior.

So, in a way I agree with your premise about society's role in criminal behavior. But, I focus on the direct implication: We are all responsible when someone in our society commits murder. And only when the majority of us start recognizing and accepting this responsibility will there be any real impact on such crimes. And unfortunately, judging by even the most recent votes in the United States to continue attempting to force blame, by statue, upon precisely those individuals who are the most clueless about what is really happening, or why, the so-called "criminal", I don't see much hope of our society taking "responsibility" any time soon. (Europe on the other hand has apparently learned all this the hard way, which is why they have such dramatically lower crime rates. And the incarceration rates and recidivism rates in most European countries are but a fraction of the same rates in the U.S.A., which anyone can confirm on the Web these days so there's no reason for the mass ignorance in the States, unless of course someone has an interest in such ignorance...)

So, no one is to blame; not the criminal, not society, not even "God" or the "devil". But, we are all responsible. So when a murder, or rape, or whatever happens we should all ask, "Why did WE do it?" not, "Why did THEY?"

[J.D. Dec. 5, 2016]