Future Psychopathic Offenders

When we look at how fragile each one of our lives are, we need to take a minute and realize the different characteristics that form us into who we are today. Studies have shown that there are characteristics within the behavior of an individual that can be linked to the specific behaviors demonstrated by an offender that would classify them as a psychopath. Along with other research that looks into an individual’s genetics to see if that plays a role in defining or making a psychopath. John Allen Muhammad, also known as the D.C. sniper, was labeled as a psychopath when he terrorized D.C. for two weeks, taking thirteen victims and killing ten of them. This paper will go over the behaviors that constitute psychopathy, and the behaviors that

Nevertheless, while many would agree to these reasons, others might say otherwise. Jennifer Jenkins, in her article, “On Punishment and Teen Killers”, she refers to a time when her youngest sister and her husband were murdered by a juvenile criminal. In the article, she says that before her sister was killed, “She begged for the life of her unborn child as he shot her. Jennifer also says in the article that the murderer “...just wanted to see what it would feel like to shoot someone.” Of course, given this story, it can be argued that the murderer, “...was a serial killer in the making”, as Jennifer says. In addition to this, it can also be said that children with strong signs of conduct disorder, a juvenile form of A.S.P.D., or Anti-Social

However, more recently, a study led by King’s College London has claimed that there are differences between the brains of psychopaths and other criminal offenders diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. Dr. Nigel Blackwood who led the research is quoted as saying “We describe those without psychopathy as 'hot-headed' and those with psychopathy as ‘cold-hearted’.” This statement shows a clear distinction between what should be interpreted as a lack of self-control and ability to repress impulses and what should be diagnosed as psychopathy.
The study took MRI scans of 66 men, two thirds of which were offenders who had been diagnosed with antisocial personality whilst the other third were non-offenders considered to not have any personality disorders. Of the 44 offenders, 17 met the diagnosis criteria for psychopathy (ASPD+P) assessed by the guidelines stated in the DSM-IV. Researchers saw that the members of the study diagnosed as psychopaths had notably less grey matter in areas associated with moral behaviour and understanding other peoples’

Psychopathy, in both the mental health and criminal justice systems, has emerged as one of the most important clinical constructs of the 21st century (Hare, Clark, Grann, & Thornton, 2000, p. 623). Where clinically, psychopathy is traditionally described as a combination of inferred socially deviant behaviors and personality traits. Some traits and behaviors a psychopath is seen to possess are commonly known, for example, to being impulsive, selfish, aggressive, lacking remorse, shame, feeling for others, pathologically lying, and having asocial or antisocial behaviors (Hare, & Neumann, 2006, p. 59-60). One of the reasons as to why psychopathy has come to see an increase in the development of its theoretical and applied interest is the

“In the late 1980s, Robert Sampson and John Laub stumbled across the files from a decades-old research project conducted by Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck of the Harvard Law School. This study that followed young boys from childhood into early adulthood and led them to question previous criminological research practice and develop their age-graded theory. It has been said that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Therefore, it is no surprise that, when criminologists study adult offenders, they discover almost all of them committed crimes as an adolescent. However, it is not logical to assume that everyone who engages in crime as an adolescent will commit crimes as an adult. Moreover, if one continues this faulty line of reasoning

Psychopaths have been around for more than a century, and have found themselves to be able to make the public fear them. Belle Gunness, the Zodiac Killer, and John Wayne Gacy are all examples for the character traits compatible with psychopathy and have been able to provide more reason to the research of psychopaths. Statistically, psychopathy is found in three percent of the male population and in one percent of one percent of the female population. A psychopath’s behavior of exploitation, lying, recklessness, and arrogance has been studied to further understand how their brain structure is different in MRI scans and how they are able to use special abilities to catch its victims. Many research studies have been able to provide more information

Review of literature indicates that there have been, and still are sociopathic children who kill, and commit sadistic crimes in this world. Is it possible that such young people can develop sociopathic traits? This paper intends to prove so. Sociopathic children display certain archetypes that can either be taken as a warning, or something to go off of when getting the child help. Children who develop sociopathic traits at a young age can most likely be treated with the help of psychologists, and constant encouragement from parents. However, some children do not take to the treatment and do not feel empathy, or remorse to those around them. If these children are not treated for their behavior, problems are more than likely to

This documentary specifies that there is no easy answer to what is going on inside the mind of killers, and we cannot simply place these individuals into “neat diagnostic boxes” that explain why their actions turned so violent. However, the investigators present research studying different avenues regarding ways to “predict” the likelihood that an individual will commit violent crime, will maintaining that no method is perfect. Throughout the presentation, viewers are offered mountains of research highlighting a mix of nature and nurture ranging from neurologists from Harvard studying brain patterns affected by genetics, to psychologists studying maternal care and attachment during infancy.

Accordingly, there exists a small group of people who exhibit most-to-all of these specific and peculiar characteristics and behaviours. This particular group of predators presents numerous challenges to morality, safety and policy. For instance, because a "psychopath" may display a general coldness toward others, they are more likely to commit criminal acts, and afterward not respond to punishment or deterrent tactics. Hare’s psychopathy checklist when used as a tool to identify psychopaths prevents harmful exposure of non-psychopaths to this dangerous group of offenders. For this tool to work effectively there must not be significant overlap of the specific characteristics used in the PCL-R to identify psychopaths as in the general population of non-psychopaths. In other words, the psychopath must

This article states that we need to stop interchanging psychopath and sociopath, as they are two different disciplines. Pemment goes into detail about the history, research, and growth of psychopathy. He says that we need to understand the difference between the two, as the behavioral characteristics and potential treatments for each are different. The article includes details on Hervey Cleckley and Robert Hares work on psychopathy. The article describes the PCL-R, and how Hare says the test should be done. The PCL-R is used as a screening tool to identify psychopaths, and

There are three main debates on juvenile psychopathy. The first debate is whether the features of adult psychopathy even exist in juveniles. The disorder may be very difficult to measure reliability because of the transient and constantly changing developmental patterns that are so characteristic of childhood and adolescence. Some behavioral patterns of children and adolescents may be similar to adult psychopaths for a variety of reasons but may not really be signs of psychopathy. One side thinks that features of adult psychopathy exist in children, and the other side disagrees. There are many different factors that can frame the individual's personality. The second debate is the serious long-term social, ethical, and emotional consequences accompanying the label of psychopath for the child. A child who is told he is or can't do something, then the child is going to adapt to and believe he is and can't do whatever he has been told. The issues is if the child being tagged as a psychopath, then others will begin to see and treat him as a known psychopath. The juvenile psychopath will be limited and misunderstood in some cases. The last and final debate is that any psychopathic assessments of youth must achieve an exceptionally high level of accuracy before they can be judiciously employed in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Any mistake would create a bigger issue to anything that is related. The process has to be performed nearly perfect. There are also gender differences in

Most people believe that a twelve year old who plans the death of his parents is a “serial killer in the making” (Jenkins). However, a one time offense does not mean that a kid will undoubtedly grow up to become a criminal. People who think like this are of the train of thought that a crime is a crime no matter who commits it, but that should not be the basis on which juveniles are locked up for the rest of their lives. Although it is true that by a certain age youth should should know right from wrong, the cases of maturity vary with individuals. Not only that, but a handful of these kids are brought up in bad environments and act without thinking things through. Paul Thompson’s research of brain development at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that the loss of brain tissue during teenage years is massive. Thompson states that “brain cells and connections are only being lost in the areas controlling impulses, risk-taking, and self-control.” The criminal actions of a juvenile are not accidental, but they are not well thought-out or controlled either. Given the opportunity and the right help, these juveniles could

Introduction The purpose of this study is to compare and contrast the constructs of psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder. The aim is to highlight whether the terms psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder reflect the same construct or whether they differ. Furthermore, recommendations for treatment of criminal behavior will be explored. For the purposes of this evaluation some definitions need to be highlighted: Criminal offence is an act that breaks a law, which relates how to behave in society. The harm caused by the act is seen to be against society as a whole, not just a specific person. Sometimes it refers to the specific law that was broken (Herring, 2009). Crime is the breach of rules or law for which some authority

During these ages, children are in a developmental phase and more easily influenced (Johnson, Blum, & Giedd, 2010, p. 3). These shows can help to define the views youth have on crime and criminals, those that are psychopaths in particular, and influence their perceptions as they become adults. American TV drama crime shows are those in which a story is told about a police investigation of a crime (S. Parrott & C. Parrott, 2015, p. 653). The crimes shown in each episode on almost every show are primarily serial killer and homicidal crimes (S.

The biology and environment play a huge role in these offender’s lives. The interaction between neurological and having a disadvantaged environment can put them at a higher risk of becoming an offender. These offenders can be seen as psychopaths because of the factors that are a play. Throughout their childhood they begin to have antisocial conduct. Then during adolescence they begin to have cumulative consequences and in adulthood they start to commit criminal behavior.