UNTHINKABLE
COEUR d’ALENE- The recent acts of vandalism at Tullamore Park in Post Falls have the markings of someone possibly driven by sadistic impulses or a compulsive behavior, according to Child Psychologist Heather Rehil-Crest of Big Lake Psychological Services in Coeur d'Alene.
Mental health therapist, Scott Burke from Heritage Health said the behavior is "that of a sociopath at least."
A yet unknown vandal inserted a screw through the surface of the slide, twice within a week. The fact that it was done at the same park, on the same slide, both experts say is significant.
"Committing the act once, shows malintent but doing it twice, now it has that feeling of human evil," Burke said. The action was not accidental, it sounds as if the vandal is anti-social for sure but this can lead to other levels of psychopathy or sociopathy, he said.
Although it is impossible to know what is going on in the mind of the perpetrator, there are notable signs, Rehil-Crest said.
“There are risk factors that might drive some of these behaviors,” she said. “Repetition often signifies a compulsion, an irresistible strong urge to perform a certain behavior.”
Sometimes you have people who are disconnected from society at large or may not have a lot of social support or connections, or it could have been done for a very specific reason, she said.
“Most vandalism is perpetrated by adolescent boys,” Rehil-Crest said. “But it could be an adult.”
“A lot of times we see teens trying on ways of being, or testing cause-and-effect in their own little world," Rehil-Crest said. “Or in peer groups, we see kids urging each other on and they are just curious about the outcome.”
Burke notes that teenagers often display a lack of judgement but this goes beyond that to an attempt to injure random people.
The fact that the vandalism was not accompanied with graffiti, words or symbols could imply that a very specific message was intended.
If an adult committed the crime, Rehil-Crest said there is likely a very specific reason, “like someone’s child is being bullied and they know that that child plays at that specific playground.”
“There could be a lot of different reasons someone would do this,” she said. “But it does sound like a setup to hurt somebody.”
Info: www.blpspsychology.com
