AP Psychology Exam Prep

Answer: C - Detective Benn is a criminal psychologist who is interested in juvenile precursors to adult murders. He is most likely interested in sociopsychological determinants of homicidal behavior in adulthood.
Key Takeaway: Criminal psychologists are always interested in the childhood experiences of serious criminals. Research studies into the earlier lives of serial killers, for example, show that many of them have been exposed to severe physical, mental and sexual abuse as young children. These studies do not excuse their adult behavior but they shed light on the potentially long term damaging effects of childhood abuse. The implication of this research is that child abuse cases should be taken seriously in order to reduce the chance that these children will become serious adult offenders.