Customer Reviews

Violent Criminal Acts and Actors Revisited

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

 

 

If you have any interest in violent criminal acts, criminal justice, chronic/acute criminal behavior from a treatment, control or academic perspective, this is a must read. I have spent 25 years researching, planning, and programming in this field and Dr. Athen's work has major implications across many domains. Whether or not you agree, after reading this book you will be left motivated and enlightened. I also recommend reading "Why They Kill" by Richard Rhodes either before or after reading this book.

that criminals and fools are allowed to post reviews here. Joyce Carol Oates is not a good source for information about criminals. I work as a prison psychologist in one of the most progressive systems in the United States. Lonnie Athens has done groundbreaking work which I have confirmed and extended in my own clinical work. I reject more than 90% of what the professional research literature tells me because the research methods are inadequate, the statistical methods are incorrect, or the conclusions go beyond the data. Athens is one of the few academics whom I follow carefully (others are the late Neil Jacobson and John Gottman). I would recommend that you ignore the review that gave this book 0 stars and investigate for yourself. Anything in which Lonnie Athens is involved is automatically worthy of careful reading.

Dr. Athen's work on the creation of violent criminals is groundbreaking in its scope and reach. I have read all of his books and the framework he proposes is one that offers many intersections for intervention before a violent person is created.
This is an intellectually challenging and exciting book. It should be read by anyone interested in creating a peaceful society and preventing inter-personal violence.

I'm not a researcher/academician so I can't rate this book from that perspective. As a layman, I found this book to be poorly written and bone dry. James Gilligan's books might be a better option.