Customer Reviews

The Criminal Personality: A Profile for Change (Volume I)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an excellent book to continue the journey of understanding the Criminal Mind. This book is more detailed. It shows the drawbacks and the difficulty working with this population. It examines every approach from the past up to and including the present in trying to change Criminal behavior. Why methods have failed and what holds promise. Most of the research was done by a man named Samuel Yochelson who shared his ideas and work with Dr Samenow. Together they untangle the maze that has baffled many on this topic. A must have for those working in the criminal justice fields.

"Conventional wisdom" about criminals is wrong. Dr. Yochelson found why criminals are the way they are and how to habilitate them. Volume I exposes the areas in which criminals are different than responsible people. Volume II is a method for correcting those differences, but, as joke says, "they gotta wanna change."

Read these books to find out why the current system doesn't rehabilitate habitual criminals.

Dr. Samenow collaborated on these volumes and wrote other books for the general audiance.

Although repetitive in places, not overly so for a research report of many years, it is informative. It is probably as deep a look into `the thinking pattern of criminals' as I have encountered. This research concludes the `criminal' has an anti social mind set by the age of ten, but does not endeavor to dissect what causes it. [Too many variables outside the observation of the researchers] It sticks to its expertise, the thinking patterns, and influence on the behavioral patterns of convicted (and otherwise identified) criminal. A must read for anyone wanting to understand why people commit crimes.

This is the best book I have ever read covering both the topics of personality disorders and the forensic setting; this book can easily be recommended as an enlightening and straightforward guide to anyone who is working in the correctional field

This book is well written and understandable for those who are just getting started in working with the prison population. I look forward to reading the other 2 volumes I hae purchased.

I chose to read this notable,quite famous book which is actually 1 volume of 3 to see what, if anything, I could learn to further my understanding of the criminal mind and how it worked.Published in 1976 with its ongoing study reaching back to the late 60's, one may say it is quite dated. Why would anyone want to read 32-40 year old opinions on the criminal mind and would they be equally relavent today?Well reader, they are.Crime you see,has been and is eternal.Ever since Cesare Beccaria invented criminology in 1764 we have been trying to figure out what makes bad people tick. What they do, how and why they do it and why jailing them doesn't change a thing.In fact, it makes them worse. Therapy and rehabilitation makes us, as treating professionals feel better but anyone in the field of psychiatry or forensics knows the recidivism rate is so high that it might just be deemed useless.Yochelson and Samenow seem to have come to the same conclusion.For criminals you see, are very crafty and cunning when it comes to treatment and rehab.It seems they never stop thinking about the next score. It's in the rather grandious phenomenon called the power thrust that they derive their pleasure and sustanance.Attempts to reassess or redeem themselves are usually short-lived and almost 100% unsuccessful.This volume gives the reader a deeper understanding of the common traits and particular personality structure namely the psychopathic or anti-social as we now call it."The Criminal Personality" will enlighten and enhance your view and own tactics to treat and accept the limitations of your efforts.After all, has crime changed that much in 40 years?There are still those who rob banks, burglarize homes,rape, murder, kill serially and fleece you financially.There are now numerous other new age type crimes now that we have the internet and instant access, helpful to humanity but yet another way to invade and take what's yours, and will no doubt bring down mankind in the future.The book is written fairly well and gives lots of insights into the general criminal mind, how it thinks and works in the world around it. Our efforts to treat these animals may be fruitless.Crime is rising in our society in light of the current economic crisis and our liberal immigration policies.America is becoming more criminal and less civilized with each passing year.If our current methods of treating criminal behavior is not working in as much as catching,convicting,jailing,paroling and trusting them are concerned and are seemingly failing upon release then maybe another more effective and final solution may be warranted for the benefit of society. How much is society expected to pay for this if nothing is learned by the criminal?Most just come out of jail and commit more crime shortly after release, repeating and repeating insult against the just, law abiding folks who want to live in peace and have freedom from fear. This book will help you comprehend it all and come to the realization that what we are now doing to correct the criminals veiwpoint is nothing more than a useless, time consuming waste of taxpayer money better spent elsewhere and should be abandoned.I ask, where is the return on our investment in the criminal justice systems' ability to return these individuals to society cured of their criminal and violent proclivities?Is our investment working for us or against us?I feel it is the latter one.This is not to say that all who commit crime and who are punished for it don't come away from the experience bettered and follow the path of normal living.Some do, but the percentage is small as compared to those who don't.This book gives the reader 500+ pages of insightful material to absorb and ponder.Some of it does read as dated but as was said before, has crime changed all that much,no it hasn't.We need to arm ourselves with knowledge and better methods because if we don't act now, and without sounding like a harbinger of doom, but mark my words, within 40 years from now the streets of America will be a radically different place than it is now. Crime will increase as will your ability to combat it. Don't count on police to help you, they won't."The Criminal Personality" is just a start for you to prepare yourselves for what is to come. We can't lock them away forever or stop the influx of international criminal types from streaming across our borders unmolested by our own security forces. Our old government saw to that and I fear, our new one will be even worse.This book will hopefully help you see that more clearly. A book like this used to be called required reading for those in the field.I feel it is required for all citizens who are just, moral and want our country to stay that way. Good luck.