Psychopathy, Homicide, and the Courts: working the system (PDF)

[CZBZ]

Psychopathy, Homicide, and the Courts:
Working the System

Helinä Häkkänen-Nyholm
Forensic Laboratory, National Bureau of Investigation
& Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki

Robert D. Hare
University of British Columbia
& Darkstone Research Group, Ltd.

ABSTRACT:

This study investigated the effects of psychopathy on homicidal post-offense behavior, denying the charges at court, appeals of the lower court conviction, and final sentencing. A sample of 546 offenders prosecuted for a homicide and convicted in Finland during 1995-2004 was examined. Their post-offense behavior, self-reported reasons for the killing, charges, sentences, and psychopathic traits, as measured by the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 2003), were coded from official file information. Offenders with high PCL-R scores were more likely than others to leave the crime scene without informing anyone of the killing, to deny the charges, to be convicted for involuntary manslaughter rather than for manslaughter or murder, and to receive permission from the Supreme Court to appeal their lower court sentence. Given the risk that psychopathic offenders pose for violent crime, the finding that they are able to manipulate the criminal justice system is cause for concern.

Click HERE to retrieve 39-page document