Inside the Criminal Mind: Revised and Updated Edition
By:
Stanton Samenow
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Average Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Description:
In 1984, this groundbreaking book presented a chilling profile of the criminal mind that shattered long-held myths about the sources of and cures for crime. Now, with the benefit of twenty years' worth of additional knowledge and insight, Stanton Samenow offers a completely updated edition of his classic work, including fresh perceptions into crimes in the spotlight today, from stalking and domestic violence to white-collar crime and political terrorism.
Dr. Samenow's three decades of working with criminals have reaffirmed his argument that factors such as poverty, divorce, and media violence do not cause criminality. Rather, as Samenow documents here, all criminals share a particular mind-set--often evident in childhood--that is disturbingly different from that of a responsible citizen.
While new types of crime have grown more prevalent, or at least more visible to the public eye--from spousal abuse to school shootings--little has changed in terms of our approach to dealing with crime. Rehabilitation programs based on the assumption that society is more to blame for crime than the criminal, an assumption for which a causal link has yet to be established, have proved to be grossly inadequate. Crime continues to invade every aspect of our lives, criminal court dockets and prisons are oppressively overcrowded and expensive, and recidivism rates continue to escalate.
To embark on a truly corrective program, we must begin with the clear understanding that the criminal chooses crime; he chooses to reject society long before society rejects him. The criminal values people only to the extent that he can use them for his own self-serving ends; he does not justify his actions to himself. Only by "habilitating" the criminal, so that he sees himself realistically and develops responsible patterns of thought, can we change his behavior.
It is vital that we know who the criminal is and how and why he acts differently from responsible citizens. From that understanding can come reasonable, compassionate, and effective solutions.
Publisher: Crown
Release Date: 2004-03-30
Customer Review: 4 out of 5
Not conventional! - The psychologist Stanton E. Samenow and psychiatrist Sammuel Yochelson
worked directly with hundreds of criminals for years. They found out
that crime resides deeply in the heart of the people and that it is not
caused by environment or bad life conditions, rather by the way a person
thinks. "We found the conventional psychological and sociological
formulation about crime and its causes to be erroneous and
counterproductive because they provide excuses."
This seems to be a an annihilating judgment on the theories of
psychology. Does this mean that psychological therapy tries to deal
with the symptoms, but it cannot change the heart where the evil is
hatched? I fear it does. This would also give the explanation why so
many therapies fail and why so many patients are declared healthy and
let out of their cells, to proceed their criminal career,
notwithstanding the expertise of their professors!
When Samenow began to work he expected that criminal behaviour was a
symptom of buried conflicts that had resulted from early traumas and
deprivation of one sort or another. He thought like most humanistic
psychologists that people turn to crime as victims of psychological
disorder, an oppressive social environment, or both. Or that kids who
were from more advantageous background had been scarred by bad parenting
and led astray by peer pressure. But he realized that he had to unlearn
almost everything which he had learnt. He did it reluctantly but the
facts were apparent. The same happened to Yochelson. They found the
conventional psychological and sociological formulations about crime
and its causes wrong. "In short, we did a 180-degree turn in our
thinking about crime and its causes. From regarding criminals as victims
we saw that instead they were victimizers who had freely chosen their
way of life."
One story comes to my mind which I had heard of. One journalist heard
about two twin brothers of whom one was in the jail and the other was a
successful business man. He asked them both for their explanation for
the different careers. Both said the same thing. They blamed both their
father who was a brutal alcoholic. It is a matter of choice! It is a
matter of the free mind of man to decide between good and evil! But the
psychology industry`s experts continue to convince judges and juries
that it isn`t really the criminal`s fault.
What is the conclusion? Is clinical psychology all dead wrong on nearly
all of its conclusions and therapies? Is it harmful?
These are the questions the authors pose. This book is a warning for everybody who sets his hopes in the potency of psychological treatment or theories. Beginners in the study of psychology should have read it.
Customer Review: 4 out of 5
Inside the Criminal Mind - Very good reading with insight into how the criminals think and rationalize their behavior. The author also outlines various types of crimes and provides information on common criminal personality types. He shares examples of criminals he has evaluated and elaborates on errors professionals make in evaluating criminals. He also examines the implied factors behind what leads one to a life of crime. He seperates the common beliefs from his theory. I would recommend this for anyone who works with criminals or who wants to know more about what makes the criminal "tick".
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
A Buddhist's perspective - It's been many years since I read this book, but I went online today to see if the author had written anything else and began to read the reviews here. Brought back some memories, as I've considered this book helpful in dealing with a delinquent family member and also in current volunteer work I do at a penitentiary. As some have noted, I do believe the book is lacking in how the criminal gets that way -- bipolar disorder, broken homes, and so on, seemed to be unimportant. If you're in the field of trying to solve the question of HOW people become criminals, this book might be of limited use.
However (!), if you're taking on the task of rehabilitation of a criminal, of working with them now how they currently are (or egads dealing with a delinquent teen in your home), there might not be a more useful book. The most memorable part of the book to me was when he detailed how a criminal walks into a Walmart, and how it differs from us. When we walk in we're thinking of where we need to go, looking at the displays that have sales, perhaps checking out an attractive person in the store. The criminal mind, as he walks in, starts noticing -- only that old person to watch for shoplifters. Gee, these items would sure be easy to lift. They seem to be shorthanded on help today. They went for toothpaste, and without being aware that they're even doing it they're casing the place. Through his experiences, he details the addiction to certain thinking patterns, and a plan of rehabilitation that brings awareness to the criminal of his thinking patterns.
Revealing my own biases here, that fits in completely with my own Buddhist meditative practice of over 20 years. Becoming awake to what's going on in one's head, and how it can change one's life, is no small thing. For some, it can be a constant worry that things will go wrong. Others, an addiction to judging others, and so on. According to the author, for the criminal -- an addiction to asking oneself "What can I get out of this?" In my Buddhist practice I once a year engage in a 7-day meditation retreat. With 10 or so hours a day of nothing but staring at a wall, one can not hide from what's going on in one's mind. In the rehabilitation process the author describes, it's a very similar intense self-scrutiny and learning to become more self-aware. My reaction to this book may not be scientific, but it hits home on a very personal level and has proved helpful in several instances in my life.
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Inside the Criminal Mind - The book was received in a reasonable amount of time and was in good condition.
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
excellent overview - This is an overview and shortened version of all of his research from Volume 1-3 of The Criminal Personality. Much easier to read and understand. A must read for any one in the criminal justice system to identify what needs to be corrected. Supports effective cognitive therapy programs. I have used these concepts to deal with adult and youth in the criminal justice system for 20 years. You must know these concepts to deal with the criminal mind.
EK Bruhn
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