Inside the Criminal Mind

Long-held myths defining the sources of and cures for crime are shattered in this ground-breaking book - and a chilling profile of the criminal emerges.  Based on the results of more than a decade of study of criminal behavior and the extensive experience of clinical psychologist Dr. Stanton E Samenow, Inside the Criminal Mind redefines what motivates criminals and explains what must be done to deal with them effectively.

The simple fact, Dr. Samenow argues, is that the criminal's way of thinking is vastly different from that of a responsible citizen.  Samenow identifies a pattern of criminal behavior - one that often begins in childhood - that refutes the widely-held beliefs that broken homes, alcoholism, violence on TV, unemployment, drug addiction, or passionate impulses are the causes of crime.

These assumptions imply that society is more to blame for crime than the criminal.  But a search for a causal link has been futile, and the rehabilitation programs based on these theories have therefore been inadequate.  Crime continues to invade every aspect of our lives, criminal courts and prisons are oppressively overcrowded and expensive, and recidivism rates are escalating.

To embark on a program that is truly corrective, we must begin with the clear understanding that the criminal chooses crime.  He chooses his associates, his way of life, the long before society rejects him; he is victimizer, not victim.  The criminal values people to the extent that they can be manipulated; he believes he is entitled to whatever he desires; he does not justify his actions to himself.

The present reform programs, which have given hardened criminals social and vocational skills without coming to grips with the way they view the world, are costly, useless, dangerous.  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.