BPD & Crime | Myths, Trauma & Notorious Cases

From Aileen Wuornos to Ted Bundy, are people with BPD criminals or misunderstood? And why do so many inmates have BPD?

Are people with Borderline Personality Disorder* more likely to commit crimes, or more likely to be criminalized for trauma-driven behavior? In this episode, we dig into research, stats, and explore infamous cases like Eileen Wuornos, Ted Bundy, and Jeffrey Dahmer. From impulsivity to injustice, we explore how trauma, stigma, and the justice system collide, and how compassion and accountability can coexist.

Trigger Warning: We mention sensitive topics. Take care and pause if you need to.

🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let’s keep the conversation going.

🎧 Looking for guided meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out our YouTube channel Empowered Heroes for free meditations created with love and care: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Empoweredheroes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify at Empowered Heroes Meditations⁠⁠⁠⁠.

📩 For support on your BPD recovery journey with DBT-based skills and Mindfulness practices, email me for a free 30-Minute Consultation: ⁠steff@bpdsupport.org⁠ or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org

*If you or someone you care about is struggling with symptoms of BPD, know that you’re not alone. Support is out there, and healing is absolutely possible.

📚 Referenced Research Includes:

Arola, R., Antila, H., Riipinen, P., Hakko, H., Riala, K., & Kantojärvi, L. (2016). Borderline personality disorder associates with violent criminality in women: a population based follow-up study of adolescent psychiatric inpatients in Northern Finland. Forensic science international, 266, 389-395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.06.028

Barnicot, K., (2020). Who falls through the gaps BPD. Journal of Psychological Therapies [online], 5(2), pp. 148–167. Available at: https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/24556/

Brewer-Smyth, K. and Burgess, A.W., (2021). Neurobiology of Female Homicide Perpetrators. Journal of Interpersonal Violence [online], 36(19–20), pp. 8915–8938. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519860078.

Cavelti, M., Thompson, K., Betts, J., Fowler, C., Luebbers, S., Cotton, S.M. and Chanen, A.M., (2021). Borderline Personality Disorder Diagnosis And Symptoms In Outpatient Youth As Risk Factors For Criminal Offenses And Interpersonal Violence. Journal of Personality Disorders [online], 23-37. Available at: doi: 10.1521/pedi_2021_35_503.

Chapman, J., Jamil, R.T. and Fleisher, C., (2022). Borderline Personality Disorder. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430883/

Evershed, S., Tennant, A., Boomer, D., Rees, A., Barkham, M., & Watson, A. (2003). Practice‐based outcomes of dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) targeting anger and violence, with male forensic patients: A pragmatic and non‐contemporaneous comparison. Criminal behaviour and mental health, 13(3), 198-213. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbm.542

Karlsson, M. E., & Zielinski, M. J. (2020). Sexual victimization and mental illness prevalence rates among incarcerated women: A literature review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 21(2), 326-349. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838018767933

Newburn, T. (2017) Criminology. 3rd Edition. Oxon: Routledge.Black, D. W., Gunter, T., Allen, J., Blum, N., Arndt, S., Wenman, G., & Sieleni, B. (2007). Borderline personality disorder in male and female offenders newly committed to prison. Comprehensive psychiatry, 48(5), 400-405. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2007.04.006

Robitaille, MP., Checknita, D., Vitaro, F. et al. A prospective, longitudinal, study of men with borderline personality disorder with and without comorbid antisocial personality disorder. bord personal disord emot dysregul 4, 25 (2017).

Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2009). Borderline personality and criminality. Psychiatry (Edgmont), 6(10), 16.