U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Inside the Criminal Mind

NCJ Number
95202
Author(s)
S E Samenow
Date Published
1984
Length
288 pages
Annotation
A clinical psychologist argues that the criminal's way of thinking is vastly different from that of a responsible citizen and refutes popular beliefs that broken homes, alcoholism, media violence, unemployment, drug addiction, or passionate impulses are crime causes.
Abstract

Case histories demonstrate the author's belief that the criminal chooses his associates, way of life, and the kinds of crimes he commits. They show that criminals reject society, value people to the extent they can be manipulated, and believe they are entitled to whatever they desire. Psychiatric misinterpretations of four types of crimes are discussed: crimes of passion, crimes that appear senseless, crimes that arise out of impulse control disorders, and crimes committed due to insanity. A critical discussion of the prison system emphasizes that it fails to change criminals' thought patterns and consequently is ineffective. The book describes a therapeutic approach pioneered by Dr. Samuel Yochelson that helps criminals gain a realistic view of themselves and the world, cope with frustration and life's everyday problems, and learn ways to deter criminal thinking. Footnotes and an index.