The Myth of the Out of Character Crime

We often hear accounts of ordinary people who commit crimes that seem totally out of character according to those who know them well. Lee Malvo, one of the D.C. snipers, was known to his friends and family as a smart, promising man. "Sarah" was a loving wife and mother, a dental receptionist with a sweet personality, who was stealing money from the dentist's accounts. "Tony" was an opera lover and held a high tech job where he was highly valued. Everyone was surprised when he was arrested for molesting a young neighbour. What makes these otherwise normal and respected men and women commit crimes? Why do those who know them best not see the signs? Are there clues people can look out for when a person is about to "snap?" What in the psychological makeup of defendants resulted in their committing crimes? Here, a forensic psychologist delves into the psyches of these otherwise "normal" people, whom he has treated and researched for many years.With first-hand experience interviewing and treating such offenders, the author is able to offer numerous case examples of everyday people committing extraordinary crimes. He reveals the significant clues that help to unmask these criminals and the seemingly mundane aspects of their daily lives. By probing into these and other aspects of the offender's life, the author finds a context for the crimes they commit. He concludes that the "out of character" crime does not exist, that the crime is merely the outer manifestation of what lies beneath the surface. By taking readers through the steps necessary to understand these criminals, the author shows how we can all read the signs before it is too late. He uses real life examples in every chapter to illustrate his points and readers will come away with a better understanding of how these criminals operate.

ISBN 0275991946   Pages 220 ISBN13 9780275991944 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher ABC-CLIO   Weight (grammes) 445 Imprint Praeger Publishers Inc   Published in Westport Format Hardback   Height (mm) 235 Publication date 30 Oct 2007   Width (mm) 155 Library of Congress HV6080   Spine width (mm) 21 DEWEY 364.3   Academic level General, Professional / Scholarly DEWEY edition DC22

Ch. 1		The "Out of Character" Crime		1
Ch. 2		Thinking Errors as a Key to Character		4
Ch. 3		Realities about the "Out of Character" Crime		13
Ch. 4		Secret Controllers		18
Ch. 5		Sociological and Psychological Determinism: Road to a Dead End		25
Ch. 6		Interviewing the Defendant: The Setting		33
Ch. 7		Homicide of a Husband by his Wife or Alter Ego?		42
Ch. 8		The Defendant's View of Himself or Herself as a Good Person		58
Ch. 9		Pretensions		62
Ch. 10		The Self as Unique and Irresistible		72
Ch. 11		"I Think; Therefore It Is"		87
Ch. 12		The Unimportance of Feelings		98
Ch. 13		The Defendant's Use of Language		102
Ch. 14		Having a Thin Skin: Susceptibility to Putdowns		109
Ch. 15		The Self as the Center of the Universe		122
Ch. 16		Six Tactics Used by Defendants to Control Interviews		135
Ch. 17		Secret Controllers: Several Cases		144
Ch. 18		Can a Person Correct Thinking Errors?		162