Inside the Criminal Mind

By: Stanton Samenow

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's Summary

Long-held myths defining the sources of and cures for crime are shattered in this ground-breaking book - and a chilling profile of today's criminal emerges.

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

Great insight!

I really enjoyed this book because it offers the listener a contrasting view of the causes of criminal behavior.

For me personally, it had allowed me a better understanding of offenders that, despite many opportunities for change, they continue to make poor decisions. I recommend this book for anyone in corrections.

8 people found this helpful

Dr. Samenow explains the persistent criminal mind

Dr. Samenow step by step explains how people can have a criminal mindset and how this mindset leads to crimes against society,defined by when one person takes from another through deceit or force. Societal crimes are committed all the time even though many are never prosecuted. This book also explains how people can live in society succesfully and appear to act good though the intention is always to put themselves at the center of focus with the hidden negative goal of using and exploiting others. This total narcissism is completely void of ethics or morals applied to their own lives , they know what is right and wrong but believe that they themselves are a law unto themselves, that they are special and entitled to take whatever they want without suffering the consequences . They believe arrogantly that they can take as they seem fit, be it your personal affects or even your life. This criminal mindset is the basic philosophy of all people who commit crimes be it stealing an old ladies purse to mass shootings. Dr. Samenow writes other books that follow and expand on the ideas in this book based upon decades of studying and researching criminals from the bluecollar who pillages a retirement fund to serial killers. This book helps ethical people to change their perspective and to understand that the criminal in not crazy, that no matter what tactic is used by the criminal to avoid responsibility their goal was always to exploit others to feed their bottomless pit of everything is about me. These criminals are always on the con and being as they have an entitlement attitude they do not believe that they bad people so they do not see why they need to change. Dr. Samenow explains that the thinking and attitude of the criminal must change before the behaviors will and that is why most criminals find no incentive to change; why should they change when most of the time their manipulations work for them. Dr. Samenow convincingly proves that from parents who coddle their abusive children to courts that give mere slaps on the hand as consequences for crimes committed , we as a society need to change on multiple fronts to change the Criminal Mind.

7 people found this helpful

Great, but sometimes flawed information

Would you try another book from Stanton Samenow and/or Mark Bramhall?

Maybe if it was more limited on its scope. I understand Samenow's approach to what causes crime, especially after decades of being exposed to criminals. However, he is quick to dismiss things out of his personal experiences when research supports those things. If he sticks to his own research and doesn't try to poorly attack others, I think I would.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

It was his (and Yokelson's) research and experiences. I would say 80% of his book was fantastic, the 20% is described in the comments below.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes, but the narrator quickly became a huge distraction when quoting things inmates say. Every inmate had the same annoyed whiny voice that was quite distracting.

Could you see Inside the Criminal Mind being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Absolutely not.

Any additional comments?

Overall I think most of what he has discovered is absolutely fantastic in terms of research into criminal behavior. However, there are some large issues I have with this book:

He quickly and selectively dismisses many, or all other, criminology theories of crime. It is as if he has a selective and biased view towards them and doesn't quite fully understand what they, how they came to be, or that they are not meant to be 100% explanations of all or most crime. It is really hard to dismiss those theories since they have all gone through much research and study, not to mention have been replicated numerous times as well. Those did not come from some yahoo in his basement who wanted an excuse for crime, they came from highly educated and experienced people who genuinely found more than just correlations.

He also appears to trivialize certain things, such as terrorism and those who possess child pornography (suggests those who only possess child pornography be paroled and not jailed when they actually contribute to the more serious crimes being committed to get the pornography). Not really sure why he gets involved this much into the criminal justice system when he is a psychologist.

Needs to stay away from the rock star superhero psychic profiliers as references for certain information.

I think his research is fantastic if he were just staying in his lane. He should approach as just a psychologist, nothing more.

4 people found this helpful

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.

6 people found this helpful

An sincere effort to enter a criminal mind

It is an sincere effort to understand criminal mind.The author puts all his experience to tell us about criminal mind.May be the brain functions in such a complex manner that it is difficult to decipher all its patterns.
The remedies suggested are practical and with lots of common sense.The book is read well to keep up the interest in the subject.

1 person found this helpful

CL

Very little real info, just his opinion not based on research. Very little info promised re “inside the criminal mind”

not great

this book has some decent ideas but seems mostly made of the authors own opinions

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.

Provoking.

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

1 person found this helpful

Damn that was good!

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

1 person found this helpful