The Worst Criminal In Law & Order: SVU Season 16

The universe in which "Law & Order" takes place is a large one, with many different series hitting the scene over the years. To date, the installment of the franchise that has spent the most time on-air is "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," which has been going strong ever since it originally premiered in 1999. The crime-drama series is based in New York City and centers around the NYPD Special Victims Unit, led by Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), as they work to catch some of the worst criminals.

While "Law & Order: SVU" is a total binge-worthy series, being a police procedural show that deals with some particularly heinous crimes means that some episodes can be difficult to watch. From the crime scenes to the crimes themselves, the storylines provide just as much shock value as they do entertainment. Each season brings with it a new bunch of criminals committing atrocities. Season 16, in particular, was full of them. However, the worst criminal in Season 16 is a bit more complex than your average crime scenario and might be surprising to some.

In the "Law & Order: SVU" Season 16 episode "Decaying Morality," Jenna Davis (Haley Lu Richardson), a young victim of assault, mistakenly names the wrong assailant. This mistake ultimately leads to the man's death at the hands of Jenna's father, Luke Davis (Jamie McShane). However, after the death of the wrongly accused Jerome Jones (Kamal Angelo Bolden), the case really begins to unravel, and it's revealed that the real assailant is actually Jenna's uncle, Dr. Neil Alexander (Paul Adelstein).

Neil is not only Jenna's uncle, but one of the most trusted members of the family, which leads investigators and Jenna's loved ones to believe that Jenna is not his only victim. Neil appears to show no remorse for what he's done to Jenna, even when she confronts him in a cafe while being monitored by police. Neil's actions are not only sick but taken to a new extreme as he causes more damage to not just one family but two — the family of Jerome is forced to grieve an unnecessary loss, and the Davis family must come to terms with the legal repercussions Luke faces. Neil's path of ultimate destruction and his lack of remorse for the pain he caused make him the worst criminal in Season 16 of "Law & Order: SVU."

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).