Decoding Madness

A Forensic Psychologist Explores the Criminal Mind

De: Richard Lettieri

Narrado por: David Mack

Dealing with some of the most heinous crimes imaginable, forensic neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Richard Lettieri gives a behind-the-scenes look at criminal psychology through case studies from his over 30 years of experience as a court-appointed and privately retained psychologist.

With cases like Michael, who stabbed his mother in the back believing she was the evil force causing the sun to descend upon the earth and gobble him up, and Tina, who seriously injured her boyfriend and stabbed his son to death, Decoding Madness is filled with gripping stories and forensic analysis. Through psychological examination, it is the author’s job to conclude whether these individuals are truly guilty and understand their actions are wrong, or if these individuals are not guilty by reason of insanity and instead require treatment.

Decoding Madness offers a nuanced psychological understanding of defendants and their personal complexities beyond the usual clinical accounts. The book introduces the novel idea of the daimonic as a basic force of human nature that is the source of our constructive and destructive capacities and argues for an update to the criminal justice system’s perspective on rationality and conscious thinking.

Featuring new findings and personal insights, Dr. Lettieri presents an engrossing view of the psychology of defendants accused of committing heinous crimes and the insight that they provide towards the human mind.

©2021 Richard Lettieri (P)2022 Rowman & Littlefield

Informative

4.5 STARS

Forensic psychology/psychiatry is the art of evaluating criminals for the purposes of trial. Some work in the private sector for defendants, some work in forensic units in jails or hospital, some do both.

Richard Lettierti is hired by prosecutors (the state) and defendants which tells me he has respect in his field and in the courts. Forensic Psychologists who only work for (usually wealthy) defendants and nearly always find their clients as not guilty by reasons or insanity are sometimes called professional whores, which may or may not be fair. These psychologists *might* truly believe that neurology and psychology play a factor in all crimes, but if that’s true, why not work with legal aid and clients who can’t afford to pay hundreds of dollars per hour?

Lettierti outlines with examples several types of patients. Those who are truly mentally incapable of understanding the difference between right and wrong, like the schizophrenic who killed the mother he loved because the voices told him she was going to send him to hell. While the individual chose to be noncompliant with his meds, a decision he made at the peak of his mental stability, he was never in a state without paranoia, and with major mental illnesses, med noncompliance is quite common.

Lettierti also discusses patients whose histories and mental illnesses mitigated their culpability in their crimes, resulting of pleas for lesser offenses. He illustrates how sociopathy and psychopathy are present with intelligent, yet manipulative, people who seek to control the system by feigning mental illnesses.

Part of forensic evaluations includes psychometrics, testing aimed at assessing types of mental illnesses as well as patients who try to game the system by answering in ways they think will get them the results they would like.

DECODING MADNESS is a great introduction to forensic psychology for lay people.

Incredible Listen! Very inciteful and informative!

This is one of the few audible experiences I have had where I truly was not ready for the book to end. The narration was so enjoyable, great narrative performance!!!

The perspectives provided on the case studies were riveting, thought provoking, and easy to appreciate. Lettieri's use of descriptors was nothing less than perfection!!!

I will definitely be giving this another listen in the future!!!

Worth every penny!!!

Very thoughtful and smart

Liked the detailed look at each person interviewed and the special attention to untangle the complexity of each persons criminal action. There’s no use of the word “monster” about those that commit crime but a level headed understanding that given the right circumstances we are all capable of terrible things.

Great insight

I really enjoyed the author’s insight to these cases and his empathy for those with mental disorders. I liked this book a lot.

well presented

I already wrote a review on this book but then I saw another review saying the book sounds robotic. This could not be further from the truth. It was one of the best narrators I have listened to. Most books do sound robotic, but this one sounds like you're listening to someone sitting in front of you and listeners to the stories as if he really was the criminal pathologist.

I recommend this book to anyone, I could not stop listening.

The level of expertise, depth and thoughtfulness that this writer put into his forensic evaluations is inspiring.

I've read a lot of forensic reports throughout my career, both in a clinical setting, and in an emergency room crisis capacity. This book made me realize how lacking many of those evaluations were. I found the level of expertise, depth and thoughtfulness that this writer put into his reports so inspiring. i also appreciated his ability to acknowledge and explore his own possible biases when evaluating a person. I feel like I learned a lot from reading this book.

If only the narrator learned to pronounce ‘Daimon’!

Compelling series of cases that the author effectively used to illustrate very interesting principles of abnormal psychology. Informative and insightful. Surprisingly rewarding for an obscure title. Just wish someone had helped the narrator with that critical pronunciation - found it really distracting to hear “day-mon” instead of “die-mon”.

Love, Love, Love!

Really great book! Told several short stories that were interesting and kept my attention, so good

Well written and very interesting

I really enjoyed this book. It was great to read about the author’s insight experiences as a forensic pathologist and the cases he has worked with throughout the years.
The book was also well performed.

Understanding

I liked that I now understand the psychological nature of the human behavior in many different aspects.