[Lady Sidhe]

"Violent crimes committed by the severely disturbed tend to attract a disproportionate amount of attention from the press. In fact, the mentally ill are responsible for less than 3% of sexual crimes."

"Perhaps the most obvious (and most frightening) explanation of all is that some offenders commit crimes simply because they want to! They like it! And they have no regard for what the rest of society thinks."

--Roy Hazelwood (who has worked with violent serial criminals for twenty years)


SOCIOPATHS do not feel remorse or shame, guilt or appropriate fear. THEY DO NOT LEARN FROM PUNISHMENT. They are easily bored. They like excitement. They find it difficult to delay gratification, no matter where their self-interest may lie. They are chronic liars, even when they have no need or reason to lie. They have no understanding of, or concern for, the harm they cause others. The only concern they have is for their own gratification.



Catwoman: "Payoff - (Punishment + level of psychosis + desire for instant gratification) = oh fuck it I'll do the crime anyway.

Research shows that the penalty is not given rational consideration in crimes such as these...."


The level of psychosis isn't something that has to be placed in the equation all, or even MOST, of the time. Despite the nature of the crimes, these people aren't psychotic. A personality disorder is not insanity. Legal insanity and medical insanity are two different things. Being a sociopath does not mean you're insane, and it's not an excuse.

It's not my problem if they don't consider the consequences of their actions. That's just too bad for them if they get caught. And many serial criminals DO consider the consequences. Why else would they try to cover their tracks if not to prevent capture? Evasion indicates knowledge of right and wrong, and that knowledge means that they do not want to pay the consequences, and are taking steps to prevent it.

People who go around indulging in violent whims, and who cannot be rehabilitated (sociopaths), don't garner any sympathy for me. They enjoy what they do, and as long as they're free, they'll continue to do it. There's no point in warehousing them.

As was said before, if the justice system would treat minor offenses, such as window peeping, exposure, offensive, repetitive crank calling, and animal cruelty with more concern, we might be able to catch these guys before they graduate to killing. However, once these people have gratified their urge, they don't go back. How do you rehabilitate someone who cares only for his own desires, and thinks the rest of the world is there for him to use in order to fulfill those desires?


Sidhe