Criminal Psychology

Criminal psychology is the application of the principles of normal and abnormal psychology to the understanding, prediction, and control of criminal behavior. Criminal Psychology: Nature, Nurture, Culture provides an in-depth yet readable introduction to the foundations of criminal psychology as it is understood and practiced from the classroom to the courtroom. The book is organized into five sections. Part I examines the nature and origins of criminal behavior. These chapters outline the role of psychology in the criminal justice system, and review the biology, psychology, and sociology of crime to develop a naturalistic model of criminal behavior that can guide theory and practice in law enforcement, criminal justice, and forensic evaluation. Part II examines the major classes of mental disorder that may be associated with criminal behavior, including psychotic disorders, mood disorders, organic brain syndromes, substance abuse, and personality disorders. Each chapter consists of a description of the syndrome, followed by applications to law enforcement, criminal justice, and forensic mental health issues of competency, sanity, and criminal culpability. Part III deals with death. Topics include homicide, serial murder, mass homicide, workplace and school violence, and terrorism. Part IV covers sexual offenses and crimes within the family, including rape and sexual assault, sex crimes against children, child battery, domestic violence, and family homicide. Part V discusses the psychological dynamics of a variety of common crimes, such as stalking and harassment, theft and robbery, gang violence, organized crime, arson, hate crimes, victimology, the psychology of corrections, and the death penalty. Each chapter contains explanatory tables and sidebars that illustrate the chapter’s main topic with examples from real-life cases and the media, and explore controversies surrounding particular issues in criminal psychology, such as criminal profiling, sexual predator laws, dealing with children who kill, psychotherapy with incarcerated offenders, and the use of “designer defenses” in court. Grounded in thorough scholarship and written in a crisp, engaging style, this volume is the definitive handbook and reference source for forensic psychologists, mental health practitioners, attorneys, judges, law enforcement professionals, and military personnel. It will also serve as an authoritative core text for courses in forensic psychology, criminology, and criminal justice practice.

"Serial killers and violent criminals have been in society for ages. There are records of these kinds of people in ancient times, and we all know they are still alive and well today. But what we don't know is what goes on inside their heads. Why would anyone kill for the sake of it? Why would someone that seemed so nice and so normal do such a terrible thing? What causes this kind of behavior? These and many more questions have flooded the minds of those that study criminal psychology for decades. If there was a way to know why they do what they do, it would be so much easier to counteract it. That is why I created this book. Open up the book, read it and understand it right away."--Back cover.

A fascinating guide on the psychology of crime Thinking of a career that indulges your CSI fantasies? Want to understand the psychology of crime? Whether studying it for the first time or an interested spectator, Forensic Psychology For Dummies gives you all the essentials for understanding this exciting field, complemented with fascinating case examples from around the world. Inside you'll find out why people commit crime, how psychology helps in the investigative process, the ways psychologists work with criminals behind bars - and how you too can become a forensic psychologist. You'll discover what a typical day is like for a forensic psychologist, how they work with the police to build offender profiles, interview suspects or witnesses, and detect lies! Covers the important role psychology plays in assessing offenders Explains how psychology is applied in the courtroom Explains complicated psychology concepts in easy-to-understand terms If you're a student considering taking forensic psychology or just love to learn about the science behind crime, Forensic Psychology For Dummies is everything you need to get up-to-speed on this fascinating subject.

Originally published in Spanish in 2017 by Libreria Bosch, Barcelona, the Atlas of Forensic and Criminal Psychology is a one-of-kind book made available in English for the first time. This unique work is highly illustrated with full-color images, providing a medico-legal examination of forensic pathology as it relates to cases of forensic psychological interest. The book begins with a historical perspective and includes images of patients to familiarize the reader with symptoms, the hazard-risk criteria, lethality, and suicidal rescue—research that Dr. Tiffon has addressed in his previous publications. Chapters present photographic records of cases to deepen forensic, psychologist, and medico-legal professionals’ insight into thoughts, behaviors, and mechanisms of self- and hetero-aggressiveness. Such cases illustrate the outcomes of various disorders manifested in individuals and victims; as such, they provide an understanding of the psychological-legal conclusions reached in such cases in order to adapt the legal and preventative measures for specific situations. Coverage includes affective, schizophrenic, and personality disorders as contributing elements in diagnostic judgments, noting the great difficulty such examples present to experts performing psychopathological evaluations after criminal, and often violent, events have occurred. Various psychopathological disorders are addressed as well as the technical treatment that should occur in each case from a psychological-forensic perspective. Features: • Presents a provocative look at various syndromes familiar to forensic psychologists, as applied to criminal cases and the pathology of suicide victims and homicide perpetrators • Combines the work of world-renowned expert contributors to examine the criminal, legal, and psychological facets of various diagnoses and case examples • Offers insight into the psychological state of suicide victims, considering their state of mind as a "psychological autopsy" In his previous books published in Spanish, Manual of Consulting in Psychology and Clinical, Legal, Legal, Criminal, and Forensic Psychopathology (2008), Manual of Professional Performance in Clinical, Criminal, and Forensic Psychopathology (2009), and the 4-volume Practical Criminological Atlas of Forensic Psychometry (2019-2020), Tiffon approached forensic psychology and psychopathology from a theoretical perspective. In the Atlas of Forensic and Criminal Psychology, his first book translated into English, Tiffon expands on these prior works, serving to provide a visual reference and guide to medical pathologists and consulting psychologists in cases of disorders in which psychopathological mutilation, injury, and self-injury occur.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

It is a conundrum that has vexed societies throughout history: how do you deal with those that break the law? If their aim is to evade you, how do you identify them? If their aim is to lie, how do you interview them? If they don’t see their actions are wrong, how do you help them to successfully reform? Criminal psychology is the discipline which tackles these challenges head on. From the signals which give away we’re lying to the psychological profiling of violent offenders, this exhaustive guide, written by the UK’s top experts, is the perfect introduction. Also covering policing, and the much debated topic of sexual offenders and their treatment, it will demonstrate how understanding the mind will help us to view modern justice from a more informed perspective.

This book provides an accessible introduction to the increasingly popular subject of criminal psychology. It explores the application of psychology to understanding the crime phenomenon, criminal behaviour,solving crimes, the court process and punishment rehabilitation. It will be an invaluable resource for anybody taking courses in this field, in particular students taking the criminal psychology/forensic psychology components of the main A-level psychology specifications. The book is fully in line with the new A-level specifications being taught from September 2009. Each chapter includes case studies, keystudies, evaluations and a range of discussion questions. Apart from providing in depth and up-to-date knowledge on criminal psychology, the book is equally up-to-date on trends and issues in criminal justice today.

This thoroughly updated and revised new edition provides an essential overview of a full range of psychological contributions to the understanding of crime and the processes of dealing with offenders and helping their victims. From the cognitive, developmental and social processes that influence a diverse range of crimes, including burglary, fraud, rape and murder, to the challenges faced by the police and courts in investigating crime or securing reliable testimony, the text is packed with pedagogical features that bring this fascinating subject to life. These include boxes highlighting key topics or issues around research methods, further reading and suggested essay titles. Also including chapters on rehabilitation in prisons and the psychology of victims, the text examines hot topics such as gang membership and terrorism, as well as discussing how psychology may better understand criminals and criminal behaviour in the future. It builds to a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the field. It will be ideal for students across psychology, criminology and socio-legal studies and law.