Stanton Samenow

From expert witness Dr. Stanton E. Samenow, a brilliant, no-nonsense profile of the criminal mind, updated to include new influences and effective methods for dealing with hardened criminals In 1984, this groundbreaking book offered readers an illuminating window into the workings of the criminal mind and a revolutionary approach to “habilitation.” In 2004, armed with twenty years of additional knowledge and inside, Samenow explored the subject anew, using his vast expertise to explain the thought patterns of those who commit the crimes we were most concerned with in the new millennium, such as domestic violence, Internet victimization, and terrorism. The fields of criminal behavior have expanded, demanding another updated version, which includes an exploration of computers as a vehicle for criminal conduct; new drugs and pharmaceutical influences; exposure to the rawest forms of violence in video games, films, and television broadcasts; social media as an arena for illicit activities; and updated genetic and biological research into whether some people are “wired” to become criminals. Throughout, we learn from Samenow’s four decades of experience how truly vital it is to know who the criminal is and how he or she thinks differently. Only once equipped with that crucial understanding can we reach reasonable, compassionate, and effective solutions.

Revised and Updated Edition

Inside the Criminal Mind

Lauren Lipford

Behavior is a product of thinking, and so it is incumbent upon anyone formulating policy or working with offenders to understand how criminals think. 

Human nature does not change, and thus the criminal mind that I described in earlier editions of this book has not changed. However, a constantly changing society provides new avenues for the criminal mind to express itself.

No matter how much physical, financial, or emotional damage he causes, the criminal believed he is a good person.

Policy makers waste billions of dollars as they naively seek to combat criminal behavior by eradicating its so-called environmental “root causes.”

… it is essential to avoid simplistically dividing all of humanity into good or evil.

Responsible people are not transformed into killers because of what they watch or play for entertainment… Crucial is the psychological makeup of the individuals who watch the television programs, view the movies, or play the games.

Child-rearing is not a one-way street. The child brings up the parent as well as vice versa… psychiatrist William Carey points out that parents “cannot change their child’s basic temperament,” but they can control the way they respond to it.

It is impossible to commit a crime that is out of character… You cannot be other than who you are. A crime that appears out of character can be understood only by discerning what the character of the individual truly is. 

A person’s reaction to adversity depends on his personality.

We may be able to identify individuals who already have a history of making threats or engaging in violence. That does not mean that, under current laws, we have the ability to detain them, much less force them into intensive treatment.

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