Violence and Psychopathy Violence and Psychopathy

Edited by

Adrian Raine Department of Psychology University of Southern California Los Angeles, California

Jose Sanmartin Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science University of Valencia & Queen Sofia Center for the Study of Violence Valencia, Spain

Springer-Science+Business Media, LLC Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Violencia y psicopatia. English Violence and psychopathy/edited by Adrian Raine, Jose Sanmartin. p. cm. Previously published in Spanish: Barcelona: Editorial Ariel, 2000. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4613-5519-9 ISBN 978-1-4615-1367-4 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-4615-1367-4 1. Antisocial personality disorders. 2. Psychopaths. 3. Violence. 4. Deviant behavior. I. Raine, Adrian. II. Sanmartin, Jose, 1948- III. Centro Reina Sofia para el Estudio de la Violencia. IV. International Meeting on Biology and Sociology of Violence (4th: 1999: Valencia, Spain) V. Title.

RC555 .V5613 2001 616.8S'82-dc21 2001038375

ISBN 978-1-4613-5519-9

m 9 8 765 4 3 2 1 A C.I.P. record for this book is available from the Library of Congress All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher CONTENTS

Preface ......

PART I Psychopaths

Chapter I Psychopaths and Their Nature: Some Implications for Understanding Human Predatory Violence Robert D. Hare...... 5 Chapter II Psychopathy, Violence and Brain Imaging Adrian Raine ...... 35 Chapter III Emotional Processes in Psychopathy Christopher J. Patrick ...... 57 Chapter IV Neurobiology of the Psychopath James S. GrisoHa ...... 79

PART II Serial Killers

Chapter V Concept and History of the Serial Killer Jose Sanmartin ...... 91 Chapter VI Motives of the Serial Killer Candice A. Skrapec ...... 105 Chapter VII Psychopathy, Sadism and Serial Killing David J. Cooke ...... 123

PART III Psychosocial Aspects and Treatment

Chapter VIII Psychosocial Contributions to Psychopathy and Violence Joan McCord ...... 141 Chapter IX Is Effective Treatment ofPsychopathy Possible? What We Know and What We Need to Know Friedrich Losel ...... 171 Index 197 v PREFACE

Adrian Raine Department ofPsychology. University ofSouthern California. USA

Jose Sanmartin Queen Sojia Center for the Study of Violence. Valencia. Spain

The problems that psychopathic and violent offenders create for society are not restricted to North America. Instead, these offenders create havoc throughout the world, including Europe. In recognition of this fact, Queen Sophia of Spain has promoted a Center for the Study of Violence which recognizes both biological and social contributions to the cause of violence. In November 1999, the Queen Sofia Center for the Study of Violence held its IV International Meeting on the Biology and Sociology of Violence. This fourth Meeting, which was under the Honorary Presidency of H. M. The Queen of Spain, examined the biological, psychological and social aspects of the psychopath, the violent offender, and the serial killer. This book presents some of the key contributions made at that conference and which were first published in Spanish in 2000 by Ariel Press. A key thrust of this book, and a stance shared by all of its contributors, is the notion that violence and psychopathy simply cannot be understood solely, or even fundamentally, in terms of social and environmental forces and influences. Nor do biological factors offer an exclusive explanation. Instead, it is likely that psychopathy is the result of complex interactions between biological and social factors, interactions which to date are poorly understood. Contributors to this book begin the difficult process of isolating the important biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to violence. Once these factors are more fully understood, scientists will be in a better position to model their interactions and explain violence. The promise of such research is that ultimately we will be better placed to develop more effective intervention and prevention programs for violent and psychopathic offenders.

The first section of the book deals with psychopaths. In the United States, psychopaths are estimated to make up only 1% of the general public but as much as 25% of the prison population. According to a 1992 FBI study, 50% 1 2 VIOLENCE AND PSYCHOPATHY of the law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty were killed by individuals who closely matched the personality profile of the psychopath. In addition, the reoffending rate of psychopaths is very high. Society's concept of the psychopath, shaped in part by the entertainment and news media, is that of a cold-blooded, remorseless predator who seeks, stalks, catches, tortures and murders his victims. But most psychopaths do not kill, and some of them to not commit any violence. Contributors to this book present a more data-based, rational analysis of the psychopathic offender with a particular focus on the neurobiological factors which shape psychopathy. By better understanding the mechanisms and processes that give rise to psychopathy, the belief is that we will be better placed to understand and control the wider problem of violence. The second section deals with serial killers. Society tends to view serial killers as psychopaths, and there is certainly some justification for this view. Nevertheless, not all serial killers are psychopaths. Indeed, one contribution to this book divides serial killers into two categories: psychotics and psychopaths, with the latter predominating among those serial killers who plan their murders in cold blood, who are skilled at deceit and manipulation, and who stalk their victims. Yet another contribution provides a detailed analysis of the motivations of serial killers and the emotional meanings they attach to their life experiences. The third section of the book deals with social contributions and treatment. Paradoxically, while we know much more about the social contributions to violence in general than we know about the biological contributions to violence, the reverse is true for psychopathy. That is, we know more about biological contributions to psychopathy than we know about social contributions. Nevertheless, this book includes contributions on social, psychological, and cognitive processes that play a role in shaping psychopathy. This book also deals with the elusive concept of the treatment of violence and psychopathy. There is increasing evidence that some treatment programs make psychopaths worse, i.e. they make them better-skilled psychopaths who are more likely to reoffend. Yet while we may not have any unquestionably effective treatment for psychopaths, it may be possible to identify components of programs that have been more successful than others, and to develop new programs that teach psychopaths cognitive skills that enable them to take more responsibility for their actions and to better meet their needs through non-criminal means. Finally, we would like to acknowledge the invaluable help of the Queen Sofia Center for the Study of Violence in selecting, translating and correcting the various chapters of this book. We also wish to thank Andrea Macaluso of KluwerlPlenum Publishers for her encouragement and helpful advice, and for seeing the value and contribution that this book can potentially make.