Forensic psychology

Criminal Mind

Presenter: Valeri Belianine

Content

• Biological explanations• Childhood problems• Parenting problems• Mental disorder (deviant behaviour, antisocial

personality disorder)• Recidivism• Signature behaviour • Malingering

Pictures taken from Lombroso’s 1871 Atlas of Criminal Types

Eysenks’ theory

Relation of impulsivity and sociability to neuroticism and extraversion. A and B represent primary and secondary psychopaths

Eysenks’ theory

The Biological Basis of PersonalityDelinquents are underaroused and sensation seekers [Farley 1986]There are eight behaviour patterns that are associated with

"criminality and/or psychopathy".

1. resistance to punishment 2. impulsiveness 3. childhood hyperactivity 4. risk-taking 5. recreational drug use 6. active social inter-actions 7. broad-ranging sexual experiences 8. poor academic performance

[Ellis 1987]

Childhood Conduct Disorder Animal cruelty Deliberate fire setting Lies often Cruelty to other peopleDestroys other people’s property. Runs away from home overnight more than

once Stolen more than once Absent without permission from school

frequently

Parenting as a factor

Large family size Low family income Criminal parent or siblingsDisinterest and inconsistent

discipline. [Farrington, 1995]

Problematic parenting

Inconsistent enforcement of rules by the mother

Use of guilt to control child’s behavior

Arguments between the parents in front of the child

Problem with controlling anger. [Johnson, 2004]

Deviant and antisocial behavior

Inconsistent, harsh or abusive parenting

Parental rejection Coldness, inadequate supervision

of the child by its parents Little parental involvement or lack

of affection in the family. [Arce, 2004]

Antisocial personality disorder

Drives recklessly or when drunk Employment history unstable Impulsive Lies repeatedly Lacks remorse Neglects children Steals Physical arguments

Antisocial behavior:

• property crimes• theft • corruption (?)• arson and pyromania • shoplifting and kleptomania • burglary• drugs • sex assault• murder

Recidivism

The tendency or rate at which a convicted criminal is convicted of a new offense or a disease or mental disorder recurs.

[The Cambridge Dictionary of Psychology, 2009]

Criminal mind - 2

• Mental disorder• Psychopathy and beyond• DSM and ICD• Addiction and substance abuse

Is the disgraced financier Bernard Madoff a psychopath?

Or is the Hannibal Lector character portrayed by Anthony Hopkinsa more accurate example?

Criminal mind - 3

• Criminal networks• Varieties of criminality• Criminal narratives• Signature behaviour

Signature behaviour

• Signature behaviour's are acts committed by an offender that are not necessary to complete the offence.

Malingering

Intentionally pretending to have an illness or disability or exaggerating psychological or physical symptoms in order to gain rewards such as sympathy, attention, monetary compensation, or light work duties or to avoid something the person deems undesirable such as military service criminal prosecution social responsibility.

Malingering

The DSM-IV-TR suggests that malingering should be strongly suspected with any combination of the following:

• Medicolegal context of presentation (as in disability evaluations),

• marked discrepancies between claims and objective findings,

• lack of cooperation with evaluations or treatment,

• or presence of antisocial personality disorder.

= end of this part =

• Any questions or comments?