Essay on "Aaron Hernandez Experts Believe"

Essay 6 pages (1784 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Aaron Hernandez

Experts believe that Aaron Hernandez mental state as a killer could have possibly been brought on by an injury. Aaron Hernandez's suspected violent past, not to mention his most recent murder charge, was possibly brought on by some kind of head trauma the former Patriots tight end had gone through on the field, as stated by skilled forensic psychiatrist and Fox News sponsor Dr. Keith Ablow. Experts have been saying that the shrink said many incidences in Hernandez's life could of lead to his suspected vicious history. Among them, a head trauma that the previous New England Patriot had suffered while on the field in addition to his reported relationship with the Bristol Bloods gang and also the passing of his father when Hernandez was just 16-year-old. "Childhood mental trauma, feelings of powerlessness, drug use, recurrent head trauma and contact to street gangs is the textbook route that leads to having to spend decades in prison," (Selvarajah, 2006)an expert wrote in a column. Ablow, who made the point that he has been assessing violent women and men for almost twenty years and appearing at their trials, claimed demons from Hernandez's distressed childhood were worsened by the NFL, where players are much-admired for violent conduct and paid large amounts of money to do so (Crockett, 2012). With that said, this paper will discuss Aaron Hernandez's situation and how psychological factors played in his personality as a killer.

Synopsis

In November 6, 1989, a man by the name of Aaron Michael Hernandez was born. Years later, he would grow up to be an American football tight end player. He was not just any player, Hernandez would then be drafted into the NFL and then play for the New England Patriots. However, before all of this happened, he would start off his football career by playing played college football for the University of Florida. Here, Hernandez became a member of a BCS National Championship team, where he was able to earn the All-American honors, and then soon became recognized as one of the most exceptional college tight ends throughout the entire nation. Hernandez was then drafted by the Patriots which took place in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Not long after the draft, Aaron would be was selected for the Pro-Bowl after going into his second season in the NFL.

During, August 27, 2012, Hernandez signed with the Patriots giving him a five-year extension, which ran all the way through to 2018. This extension would include a $14.5 million signing bonus, which turned out to be the biggest signing bonus that had ever been given to an NFL tight end. (Crockett, 2012)It was also the second-biggest extension ever, which was after teammate Rob Gronkowski's who had a $53 million extension.

However, troubles surfaced and the Patriots decided to let Aaron Hernandez go from his contract on June 26, 2013, not long after officers from the Massachusetts State Police and the North Attleboro, Massachusetts, police department arrested Hernandez at his home in the link with the shooting death of a man named Odin Lloyd. At this time, Hernandez has been charged with five firearms-related charges and first-degree murder (Selvarajah, 2006)The story does not end there because Hernandez is also being investigated concerning many other examples of violence, which includes multiple murders, in both Massachusetts and Florida. However, some mental health experts believe that Hernandez was mentally unstable and that he is not responsible for the crimes but that the NFL had something to do with his psychological development. Others in mental health do not exclusively put the blame the NFL for Hernandez's complications, though some do mention that the league did not care about the emotional steadiness of its players. Some mental health experts believe that Hernandez's lack of positive male role models, throughout his youth, as influences that could have unfavorably had something to do with the 23-year-old. After Hernandez's father died, his mother's second husband, named Jeffrey Cummings, apparently spent some time in jail for slashing her with a knife and her then divorced the step father while he was in prison.

Community Mental Health Model

The community health model known as the RESPECTFUL model of assessment and counseling embraces a broad and inclusive definition. The comprehensive diversity frame work consists of ten factors which will be used to assess Aaron Hernandez. These factors were actually picked because they are recognized for affecting client's psychological development and personal well-being in numerous vital ways. However, it is important to understand that the components contained in this model do not represent an exhaustive listing of the factors that the development of Aaron Hernandez. The following are the specific factors to which the RESPECTFUL framework directs its attention towards Hernandez.

R-religious/spiritual identity

This touches upon the way the individual personally identifies with religion and their beliefs. Aaron Hernandez had a lot of religious tattoos on his body but did not belong to any particular religion or belief.

E-economic class background

Aaron Hernandez grew up in poverty among the gang conflict that is in the city of Bristol, Connecticut. It is generally wondered upon that Hernandez is a possible member of the Latin Kings street gang.

S-sexual identity

Aaron Hernandez is identified as a heterosexual male.

P-level of psychological maturity

The psychological report said Aaron Hernandez might get along pretty good with most of his teammates, nevertheless "will discover very little time to assist them." others that his replies "propose he enjoys living on the edge of satisfactory behavior and that he could possibly be disposed to partying too much and doing questionable things that could be seen as an issue for him and those that are on his team."

E-ethnic/racial identity

Theoretically Aaron Hernandez's race is basically Hispanic. Hernandez ethnicity background goes as the following: his father is from a Puerto Rican decent and his mother is of Italian background

C-chronological/developmental challenges

Aaron Hernandez had challenges growing up with a single mother but living in an infested gang neighborhood. He was prone to a lot of the peer pressure at school and in the neighborhood.

T-various forms of trauma and threats to one's sense of well being

Doctors believe that a head trauma injury to the head caused Hernandez to have to type of chemical imbalance in the brain that may have caused some troubled behavior on his behalf.

F-family background and history

His mother was abused by the stepfather but other than that there are no other signs of mental illness or anything that may be some kind of disorder. His father died when he was a teenager but not much is known about his family history and background.

U-unique physical characteristics

Hernandez is about six feet and weighs around 200 pounds. However, that is not what made him so unique. His tattoos are what make him very unique. The evidence, up until now, proposes Hernandez is allied with the Bristol Bloods. Exhibit A: the bloods sign that he has thrown up in a photo taken at age 6; exhibit B: he has on a completely red outfit in the same photo; and exhibit C: a tattoo that openly says "Blood" written all over his hand.

L-location of residence and language differences

Aaron Hernandez was living with his girlfriend and 7-month year old daughter. He lives in a luxury town house not far from the beach.

Axis I through V

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is the method wherein the DSM-IV will try to deal with "the whole person." It cultivates out of the professional belief that, so as to interfere positively in a psychiatric or emotional disorder, we will need to be able to consider the affected person from a diversity of viewpoints.

In DSM-IV, clinical disorders are normally all listed on 3 separate axes as talked about below. Axis I refer approximately to the principal disorder that needs instant attention; Aaron Hernandez's may have possibly an exacerbation of schizophrenia. Doctors that are examining Aaron Hernandez have discovered that he could have possibly been dealing with some rare genetic changes that could have possibly been responsible for the onset of schizophrenia. For instance his head trauma or losing his father when he was just 16 years old and also watching his mother almost gets her life taken from her from the hands of his step father.

Axis II shows any personality disorder that could be shaping the current response to the Axis I problem in Aaron Hernandez. Axis II also specifies any developmental disorders, for instance learning disability or mental retardation, which may be disposing Aaron Hernandez to the Axis I problem. For instance, as mentioned in Axis I have the injury to his head and also the loss of his dad.

Axis III lists any medical or neurological problems that may be relevant to the individual's current or past psychiatric problems; for example, someone with severe asthma may experience respiratory symptoms that are easily confused with a panic attack, or indeed, which… READ MORE

How to Reference "Aaron Hernandez Experts Believe" Essay in a Bibliography

Related Essays:

Aaron Copland Research Paper

Aaron Copland (1900-1990) was an American composer, teacher of composition, writer, and conductor who had an extremely varied career and became one of the most influential American composers of the… read more

Research Paper 6 pages (2074 words) Sources: 6 Style: MLA Topic: Music / Musicians / Instruments

---

Experts Believe That the Battle of Leuktra Term Paper

experts believe that the Battle of Leuktra puts on display the fact that the Spartan state was ill-equipped to deal with the challenges of the 4th century, and therefore Sparta's… read more

Term Paper 9 pages (2392 words) Sources: 5 Style: MLA Topic: World History

---

Expert Testimony Essay

Expert Testimony

One area of legal psychology that has received a great deal of attention in the profession is the use of expert testimony to refute eyewitness testimony. Should psychologists… read more

Essay 1 pages (417 words) Sources: 1 Style: APA Topic: Law / Legal / Jurisprudence

---

Expert Testimony Expert Scientific Witness Term Paper

Expert Testimony

EXPERT SCIENTIFIC WITNESS TESTIMONY

The Frye Decision and the Evolution of Modern Evidence Standards: The 1923 U.S. Supreme Court's Frye decision generated the criteria used by courts to… read more

Term Paper 3 pages (902 words) Sources: 4 Style: APA Topic: Law / Legal / Jurisprudence

---

Expert Witness Term Paper

expert witnesses are called upon during a trial to offer further knowledge and guidance on any subject or issue on which they are considered an expert. These people are professionals… read more

Term Paper 3 pages (894 words) Sources: 5 Style: APA Topic: Law / Legal / Jurisprudence

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>