PSY-310 Southern New Hampshire University Milestone 2
Profile Frank Timmons is described as being a light-skinned black male. Based on the information
given, he would have been in his early 40s at the time these murders occurred. Frank was unable
to complete his high school education as he focused on working to help his family have a better
income, as most of their things came from food stamps and DES subsidies. After serving 13
years in prison for abducting a woman and committing robbery, he was able to move into a home
with his wife. At this time, he also obtained a job as a construction worker.
The Biological Theories of Crime website discusses the possibility that testosterone levels in
men make them more likely to engage in aggressive crimes when compared to women. This
theory comes from the fact that men have much higher levels of testosterone than women, which
is why the same effects of this hormone do not occur in women. A 2003 research study done by
Lee Ellis suggested that increased testosterone levels can also reduce the brain's sensitivity to
stimuli in the environment, leaving men more likely to react strongly and not be able to control
their emotions properly. This theory is known as the "evolutionary neuroandrogenic theory" and
could explain Frank Timmons' behavior.
Developmentally, Frank Timmons had a difficult childhood that definitely impacted his
future as a young man and adult. The level of trauma Frank experienced left him with numerous
risk factors to develop into a criminal. He was the second youngest of thirteen children and
became a child of divorce, although his age during the divorce is not mentioned. He would have
been under twelve-years-old, as his mother passed away when he was that age. Being left with
his father was not a good environment for Frank, as his father is described as verbally abusive
and an alcoholic. The role of mother figure was taken on by his older sister, Margaret, who may
have been just as toxic for his development as their father. She was described by their siblings as
unstable, an alcoholic, and was accused of sexually abusing multiple siblings.
Environmental risk factors are another area that Frank has multiple factors against him in.
Frank was raised in poverty and likely crowded conditions, being one of thirteen children that
lived with his parents. They lived in a large, metropolitan city but survived mostly on food
stamps and subsidies from Disability Employment Services. There is a tendency in families
utilizing food stamps to try and stretch their budget by buying cheaper options to feed their
families, often sacrificing nutritional values. If this was true to the Timmons family, diet may
have played a role in his aggressive tendencies. Biological Theories of Crime discusses a theory
that large amounts of refined carbs can increase the release of hormones such as adrenalin and
dopamine, leading to aggressive outbursts.
When looking at a theory that best describes Frank's behavior, I believe the positivist
theor