Inside the Criminal Mind (Newly Revised Edition)

By: Stanton Samenow

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

A brilliant, no-nonsense profile of the criminal mind, newly updated in 2022 to include the latest research, effective methods for dealing with hardened criminals, and an urgent call to rethink criminal justice from expert witness Stanton E. Samenow, Ph.D.

“Utterly compelling reading, full of raw insight into the dark mind of the criminal.”—John Douglas, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Mind Hunter

Long-held myths defining the sources of and remedies for crime are shattered in this groundbreaking book—and a chilling profile of today’s criminal emerges. In 1984, Stanton Samenow changed the way we think about the workings of the criminal mind, with a revolutionary approach to “habilitation.” In 2014, armed with thirty years of additional knowledge and insight, Samenow explored the subject afresh, explaining criminals’ thought patterns in the new millennium, such as those that lead to domestic violence, internet victimization, and terrorism.

Since then the arenas of criminal behavior have expanded even further, demanding this newly updated version, which includes an exploration of social media as a vehicle for criminal conduct, new pharmaceutical influences and the impact of the opioid crisis, recent genetic and biological research into whether some people are “wired” to become criminals, new findings on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy, and a fresh take on criminal justice reform. Throughout, we learn from Samenow’s five decades of experience how truly vital it is to know who the criminals are and how they think. If equipped with that crucial understanding, we can reach reasonable, compassionate, and effective solutions.

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

©1984, 2004 Stanton Samenow (P)2014 Listening Library

The criminal thinking and how much we are failing now

I read this book when I was an undergraduate and criminal justice program it changed my life then and it's changed my life now. it's just one of the most powerful books I have read around criminal reform. it's the reality of human nature and what happens when we become unbalanced. corrections officers personnel need to have these skills in order to help us reform our society

Eye Opening

Extremely helpful and up to date. I highly recommend this book to anguished parents who are trying to cope with their adult child's aberrant behavior.

Provoking.

One of the best books out there. Period. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and I will re-read it for sure.

Very enlightening

This book has helped me to take abusive conduct seriously. Most people are not abusive. Listening to the stories is eye opening.

Very good pick up. Tons of information

There's allot to unravel here. but i reccomend you give it a read yourself. Theres allot of experience from himself and other people he's worked with both criminal and law enforcement or hospital. And this book take a deep dive from the beginning of the life of a criminal all the way up into adulthood and at the end the rare few recoveries. Highly reccomend. Even if your not Law Enforcement its a good book to pick up to learn more about the behaviour of others and their motivations from "normal" looking at a what otherwise seems to be normal but infact displays various warning signs of criminality.

Accurate

I have worked as both a police officer, as a security officer in schools, and in various other public sector positions that have put me in daily contact with a wide variety of criminals. This includes time working in jails, with those who expertly mask their unhealthy thought patterns, all the way to the other end of the spectrum to those who gave me the chills just by talking. This book is accurate in how it describes the criminal mind. I particularly liked the focus on “errors in thinking” that the author describes criminals as having. The idea of trying to fix those errors instead of trying to focus on trauma or childhood experience is wise.

A cognitive approach to criminality

Like some others, I tended to wonder what lack of parenting contributed to delinquency. This book argues ALL criminals are responsible for their own actions and behaviors. I find this a very refreshing approach (although the "program" has been around since the 1970s). There are undoubtedly environmental, social, biochemical and value contributors, in the end, criminal behavior is about incorrect thinking. In fixing these erroneous thinking patterns, lives can be changed. As in the case study of Leroy, the journey to change is perilous, difficult, and never really ends with slow and steady progress. For those who persevere, the journey itself is its own reward. A very well done book that describes a program I am interested in learning more about.

Damn that was good!

As soon as I finished the book I immediately started it again! This will change your thinking about criminals!

A helpful read for anyone

Insightful, meaningful, and useful for anyone. Everyone knows someone who has a little bit (or more) of the criminal mind in them. Probably we all have a little too. This book looks at all aspects of life and how the criminal views the world around them, and what that can mean for the people in the criminal's life.

must read or listen for students of subject

Best part for me was his interview technique of not allowing subject to assume role of victim. None of their past made any difference to Dr Samenow. His techniques seemed to have the effect of pealing off the layers of psychopathology until the core was revealed. Certainly this book will be listened to again.