Table 1

The Depravity Standard Items Under Study

ItemAspect of the Crime Reflected
Intent to traumatize the victim emotionally, maximizing terror, through humiliation, or to create an indelible emotional memory of the eventIntent
Intent to maximize damage or destruction, by numbers or amount if more than one person is victimized, or by suffering and degree if only one person is victimizedIntent
Intent to cause permanent physical disfigurementIntent
Intent to carry out a crime for the excitement of the criminal actIntent
Committing a crime to gain social acceptance or attention, or to show offIntent
Choices for carrying out the illegal act were available that did not involve depravityIntent
Carrying out a crime to terrorize othersIntent
Intentionally targeting victims based on prejudiceVictimology
Targeting victims who are not merely physically vulnerable, but helplessVictimology
Exploiting a close and trusting relationship with the victimVictimology
Excessive response to trivial irritant; actions clearly disproportionate to the perceived provocationActions
Escalating the depravity; inspiration for moreActions
Carrying out an attack in unnecessarily close proximity to the victimActions
Indulgence of actions inconsistent with the social contextActions
Unusual quality of suffering of the victim; victim demonstrated panic, terror, and helplessnessActions
Prolonging the duration of a victim's physical sufferingActions
Unrelenting physical and emotional attack; amount of attackingActions
Exceptional degree of physical harm; amount of damageActions
Influencing criminality in others to avoid prosecution or penaltyActions
Influencing depravity in others to destroy moreActions
Falsely implicating others, knowingly exposing them to wrongful penalty and the stress of prosecutionAttitudes
Disregarding the known consequences to the victimAttitudes
Experiencing pleasure in response to the criminal actions and their impactAttitudes
Projecting responsibility onto the victim; feeling entitlement to carry out the actionAttitudes
Disrespect for the victim after the factAttitudes
Indifference to the actions and their impactAttitudes