Ohne Titel

Ian Brady and Myra Hindley

• Know as the 'Moors Murders' in Greater Manchester, due to the burials taking place on Saddleworth Moor
• They had 5 victims, and the murders took place from 12th July 1963- 6th October 1965
• The victims were five children aged between 10 and 17—Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evan
• They were a romantic couple, although Brady took the lead and Hindley so infatuated followed lead
• Brady's aim was to 'commit the perfect murder'
• To get their victims, Hindley would stop and offer the victim (selected by Brady) a lift
• His first victim (Pauline Reade) he cut across her throat twice with signs of sexual assault, Brady sexually assaulted second victim, Kilbride and attempted to slit his throat before strangling him, their third victim, Keith Bennet was also sexually assaulted and strangled, fourth victim Lesley Ann Downing was undressed, gagged and forced to pose for photographs before being raped and killed, perhaps strangled and finally Edward Evans was beaten to death with an axe
• Brady spent 19 years in mainstream prison before being diagnosed as a psychopath in 1985 and put in a psychiatric hospital
• Hindley died in prison in 2002 aged 60

Atavistic form

• Lombroso stated that as murderers Brady and Hindley should have blood shot eyes, curly hair and long ears. As a sexual deviant, Brady should also have glinting eyes, fleshy lips and projecting ears. As they were both criminals they should also have prominent jaw lines, high cheek bones and facial asymmetry
• They should also have some aspects in their life- such as unemployment, tattoos and use of criminal slang
• Ian Brady: does not appear to have blood shot eyes nor curly hair, however it could be argued he has longish ears. His eyes don't appear to be glinting nor does he have fleshy or projecting ears, his jaw line isn't particularly prominent, his cheek bones not high however his face seems fairly symmetrical. This doesn't provide much evidence for the atavistic form.
• Myra Hindley did not appear to have blood shot eyes or particularly long ears and curly hair. However, her jaw line was prominent with high check bones and slight facial asymmetry. The case of Hindley is a better source of evidence for the atavistic explanation.

Genetic explanations

• The genetic explanation states there are candidate genes for violent crime - MAOA and CDH13
• It also uses the diathesis stress model to suggest that a combination of genetic predisposition and biological/psychological trigger
• If Hindley and Brady may have had a candidate gene did they have any childhood triggers?
• Brady: grew up with no father figure and his mother gave him up at 3 months old and he was placed into care
• Hindley: her parents beat her regularly, her father was an alcoholic, at aged 5 she was sent to live with her grandmother, her father taught her of violence
• These childhood traumas suggest they could've acted as a trigger if the two criminals had the gene (there is no evidence or articles on this)

Eyesenk's theory

• stated that behaviour can be represented along two dimensions: introversion/extroversion and neuroticism/stability which combine to form a variety of personalities, he later added psychoticism
• The criminal personality = neurotic extrovert
• Brady : constantly seeks excitement by engaging in risk taking behaviours, eg. housebreaking and stealing - signs of extroversion however he does not show signs of neuroticism - he is not nervous or anxious about his crimes, in fact he shows arrogance and unnatural calmness
• Hindley : shows lack of signs for extroversion - although violent, she does not seem to seek excitement until meeting Brady however she could be considered neurotic, slightly nervous but nothing extreme

Cognitive explanations

• Kohlbergs model - the level of reasoning behind crime
• The reasoning behind their crimes were that Brady wanted to commit 'the perfect murder' which could be judged as stage 6- he has established his own rules in accordance to his own set of ethical principles in order to achieve a goal and Hindley was in love with Brady which could be stage 2 or 3 - personal gain for herself or for approval from Brady
• Hostile attribution bias is not relevant as each victim was a young and innocent unaware child who neither Brady or Hindley saw as hostile or threatening
• However it could be considered that Hindley used minimalisation - used her love and dominance/authority of Brady to downplay her own crimes

Differential Association Theory

• Criminality as learned behaviour: Brady has no significant role model throughout his childhood to learn his behaviour from however Hindley's father was violent and encouraged violence
• Pro-criminal attitudes: Brady had lack of stability and social group growing up - he had nothing to learn his attitudes from whereas again Hindley could've learned her violent attitudes from her mother and father who beat her

Psychodynamic explanations

• The weak superego: Brady's father is absent during the phallic stage so no opportunity for identification - making criminality more likely. Hindley's mother was present.
• The deviant superego: It has not been recorded that any of Brady's adoptive parents were criminal. Hindley's parents beat her and her dad encouraged violence- suggesting she was raised not feeling guilty about violence
• The over-harsh superego: not relevant to either Hindley or Brady
• Maternal deprivation: Brady was given up in the first couple of months by his mother and Hindley was beaten by hers.