PSYCHOLOGY DISCUSSION:The Lucifer Effect
The Lucifer Effect explains how good people cross the boundary between good and evil and end up doing evil deeds. The Lucifer Effect can be influenced by a situation where the environment forces them to cross the line and do bad things. It can also be influenced by a system whereby one follows the rules and regulations to keep control and ends up doing evil.
Fredrick, an ordinary patriotic American with the experience of a low-level correctional officer, was put in charge of 1,000 prisoners, 12 army reserve guards, and 60 Iraqi police in Abu Ghraib Prison without supervision. He was also working twelve hours shift consecutively for forty days and, therefore, could not get enough rest or sleep. The prisoners were exposed to filthy living conditions with no running water or bathrooms and were frequently abused, and the military leadership overlooked that. The prison was also run by untrained soldiers who took photos of the mistreated prisoners leading to the sentencing of Fredrick for eight years.
In my opinion, Fredrick did not deserve the eight-year sentence because he was put in charge of the prison without adequate training and experience. He, therefore, bowed to the pressure of the insurgents attacking the soldiers and the prisoners. The military leadership should have instead been charged for the mismanagement of the prison and condoning abuse of prisoners and detainees.
I initially felt like the military leadership was responsible for the situation in Abu Ghraib Prison. But after reading some posts, it has occurred to me that Fredrick would have stood up to the leadership and continue being the good man that he was by running the prison based on what is right. The Lucifer Effect would have been avoided altogether.