Lee Boyd Malvo is a convicted serial killer who was part of the two-person sniper group that terrorized Washington D.C. in 2002. Malvo, who was 17 years old, engaged in random shootings targeting people in their daily activities such as mowing grass, reading a newspaper outside a restaurant, fueling their gas tanks, or waiting for passengers on a bus. Malvo and the company attacked anyone irrespective of gender or race in Montgomery County, Maryland, in 2002. For 21 days in October 2002, they committed a series of more than ten killings injuring more than three people (Vogue, 2020). He was born in Jamaica in 1987 to a strict single mother who left him at a young age in Jamaica for work in the U.S. Malvo later joined his mother as a teenager in America in 2001. He met Mohammed later on, and the two became close enough that Mohammed began training Malvo how to shoot guns in shooting range. In the early 2000s, Malvo and Mohammed traveled through Lousiana, Alabama, and Washington before engaging in the killings later in October. In 2004, Malvo was found guilty of capital murder, terrorism, and illegal use of a firearm and sentenced to life without parole. In 2006, he took a stand in Muhammad’s trial, testifying against the sniper.
Malvo's behaviors are explainable through Social control theory. The theory focuses on attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief, outlining that members of society with weaker bonds have a higher likelihood of engaging in deviant behavior. Focusing on family disruption and attachments, Malvo grew up in an unstable single mother home where he lacked a mother's love or guidance. Crime is not something he engaged in until he met Muhammad, who gave him the attention his parents never accorded him. From a young age, Malvo's family life was a perfect storm to brood him to crime. Muhammed not only provided a source of identity, but he also offered a course and values to adhere to. As Schreck. (2014) outline, when juveniles commit a crime, the focus shifts to a family because that's where the problem begins. Indeed, while living in Jamaica and the U.S., his mother would continuously take jobs that required her to be away. Nonetheless, in her presence, Malvo’s mother would beat him when she was around for doing something the way it was not expected. Malvo grew up in a dysfunctional family, acceptance, and values that could enable him to escape manipulative individuals in the real world.
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Also, the theory explains Malvo’s need for a connection and recognition. When Hirschi tested his theory, he discovered that children with minimal interactions with their fathers are more likely to engage in crime (Crawford, 2014, p.10). Indeed, when Mohammad came along, he provided lessons a father gives to his child only that Malvo was taught to shoot and kill without remorse. Also, Mohammad would teach Malvo the importance of adhering to a strict diet and playing violent games on the computer. Growing up without a father figure, and an abusive mother could indicate that he was emotionally deprived without anyone to care for him. When the opportunity to be with Muhammad presented itself, Malvo saw a father figure that would guide and direct him to life. For instance, Malvo enlisted Muhammad as his father when he enrolled at a high school in Washington. He would move from city to city, and his mother (Una) was not afraid to leave him with strangers. When they first met, the two became relatively close, as Una left him behind to take a job in Antigua.
The social control theory's strength lies in focusing on factors that could stop people from engaging in crime. The personal bonds form the benchmark for individuals not want to find themselves jeopardizing their position within the setup by committing a crime. Hence, It holds the stand that people are born free of delinquency but can commit a crime if their foundations are not healthy. In this case, Malvo did not have any values since Una was always away. Indeed, if teenagers do not hold values, they will not conform to the law. It outlines the need for social order to reduce delinquency through strong friendships, family ties, and a close-knit community. Indeed, young people form perceptions based on the surrounding and social relations that give them a sense of identity. As Thompson(2016) highlights, the theory focuses on the purpose of belonging that gives individuals meaning from a young age. For Malvo, he did not have a strong bond with any adult member of the community until he met Muhammed. Still, the social, economic status of Una meant that his access to the mother was limited.
Also, it relies on the functionality of each institution to the growth of an individual. The theory is about the elements of commitment, attachment, involvement, and belief. Whether young or old, people are committed to their close relationships, become attached to them, and set aside time to spend with their loved ones. For example, when Malvo found a connection in Muhammad, he was willing to do as told because he was already invested in the relationship. Hence, the family, school, and community have a role to play in maintaining strong bonds as they form the basis for children to assert meaning to the world. Also, when children are not provided with the support, they turn to someone or something else. At school, children form long-term relationships that determine how they view themselves. For instance, for Malvo he was the silent child in class but only showed interests when guns were the center of discussion. The theory helps explain how commitment to a cause increases infatuation and desire to deliver even on initiatives that are not lawful. In Malvo's case, the one person who encouraged him to adhere to a course gave him a commitment that he had to follow through till the end.
However, socio control theory ignores psychological factors that drive people to commit a crime. Even for adolescents they have desires, motives, aspirations, and intentions influenced by mental capacity. The offender's mind is the driving force of how they view the world, perceive it, and act on emotions. They can think on their own and deliberately come into conclusions about what they want. In Malvo's case, he agreed to months of training that mentored him to become a sniper, and even after his first kill, he could not stop. Juveniles from dysfunctional families could be more likely to commit crimes because of their background, but they could become deviant just for its thrill. For example, Malvo would leave written notes directed at the police after every shooting. Even if his initial reason to commit a crime was motivated by the family, he depicted psychopathic behavior influenced by desire and intention to achieve a perfect crime.
The theory ignores personal choice as it focuses on individual connections. Any human being has an explanation behind an act whether or not they have strong close ties or not. According to Han et al. (2016), people are born with numerous connections and engage in destructive, violent behaviors, and vice versa. In cases where people take time to plan and act, it means that they had time to think and act otherwise, but their motivations outweighed the desire to act differently. Indeed, human beings have the potential to choose whether to be delinquent or not. Even when juveniles commit a crime, they turn to hide because they realize their wrongs. Hence, sometimes, it all comes down to personal choices to live beyond the limitations of short term commitments and break free from bonds not provided. By assuming that people do not have a choice, the theory makes up excuses for the juvenile and could turn back to the victims' sympathy.
Finally, a combination of social disorganization theory and rational choice theory account for psychological and social aspects. Indeed, social institutions such as schools, family, religion, and friendship are vital in adolescents' development. AS Porter et al. (2015) outline that social disorganization provides the causal mechanism by which increases in crime unfolded as individuals live closer to the epicenter while weakened social structures outline a logical crime framework. On the other hand, human beings are rational beings capable of making their decisions informed by their self-interests. As sensible individuals, they can weigh the benefits against consequences and decide on that basis. For Malvo's case, he had difficulties having a stable home or community to give him a sense of belonging. On the other hand, he mastered the art of shooting guns within a short while. As an underage, he knew the consequences of his actions, yet the self-interest of committing a perfect crime informed him otherwise.
Conclusively, Malvo’s violent crimes calls for a more in-depth understanding of Juvenile Delinquency. His family dynamics in a single-parent home created weakened bonds that are explainable through social control theory. When Muhammad came along, Malvo formed a connection within a short time, which had been lacking all his life. The theory relies on close connections and motivation for a crime. However, the approach fails to apply rationality and personal choice behind a crime. In essence, all teenagers are free to choose and contemplate before making decisions. Malvo demonstrated those capabilities through engagement in training and judgment to shoot. For a balance, incorporating social disorganization theory and rational choice theory would be essential to understand juvenile crimes', social structures, and the psychological aspects that drive the need to commit the crime.
References
Han, Y., Kim, H., & Lee, D. (2016). Application of social control theory to examine parent, teacher, and close friend attachment and substance use initiation among Korean Youth. School Psychology International , 37 (4), 340-358.
Porter, J. R., Capellan, J., & Chintakrindi, S. (2015). Social Disorganization Theory. The Encyclopedia of Crime and Punishment , 1-7.
Schreck, C. J. (2014). Social Control Theories. The Encyclopedia of Theoretical Criminology , 1-8.
Thompson. K. (2016). Hirschi’s Social Control Theory of Crime. https://revisesociology.com/2016/04/04/hirschi-control-theory-crime/
Vogue. A. (2020). Supreme Court dismisses D.C. sniper's case. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/26/politics/supreme-court-lee-boyd-malvo-case-dc-sniper/index.html
