Transcript Title Page

“I know I don’t like this
guy, but I can’t put my
finger on why”
The Assessment & Use of
Psychopathic Traits in the
Management of Sex Offenders
Kenneth J. Duszynski, M.Ed., C.R.C.
NYSATSA Conference
Turning Stone May 2010
• Good people are rarely suspicious: they
cannot imagine others doing things they
themselves are incapable of doing,
usually they accept the undramatic
solution as the correct one, and let
matters rest there. Then too, the normal
are inclined to visualize the [Psychopath]
as one who’s monstrous in appearance
as he is in mind, which is about as far
from the truth as could well get…
These monsters of real life looked and
behaved in a more normal manner than
their actually normal brothers and sisters,
they presented a more normal picture of
virtue than virtue presented of itself--Just as the wax rosebud or the plastic
peach seemed more perfect to the eye,
more what the mind thought a rosebud or
a peach should be, than the imperfect
original form from which it had been
modeled.
--William March, The Bad Seed
Elements of Psychopathy #1
• Psychopathy is characterized by
something wrong with the person’s
conscience (They either don’t have one
or it is full of “holes.”)
• They are able to neutralize or negate any
sense of conscience or future time
perspective
• They only care about fulfilling their own
needs and desires – even to the
extremes
Elements of Psychopathy #2
• Weak or unelaborated conscience
• They are not ashamed of the same things
that the average person would be
ashamed of
• “Like Feral Children as Grown Ups” –
taking pleasures and gratifying impulses at
every opportunity and temptation. They
especially enjoy bending and breaking the
rules.
Elements of Psychopathy #3
• Never seem to break out of low-paying
dead-end type of jobs
• Seem happy with their lives
• Unburdened by any sense of negative
self-worth
• Not bothered by the fact that they are not
functional, contributing members of
society (i.e. Irresponsible parenting)
Elements of Psychopathy #4
• Superficial charm and “good” intelligence
• Absence of delusions and other signs of
irrational behavior
• Absence of anxiety (nervousness) or
psychoneurotic manifestations
• Low heart rate/sound sleepers
• Unreliability/Untruthfulness
• Lack of remorse or shame
Elements of Psychopathy #5
• Their behavior cannot be understood in
terms of anti-social rearing or development
• They are morally depraved individuals who
represent the monsters in our society
• They are untreatable predators whose
violence is planned, purposeful, and
emotionless
• Their violence reaches a plateau at about
age 50 and then seems to taper off
Elements of Psychopathy #6
• They do not respond to punishment,
apprehension, stress, or disapproval.
• They seem to be able to inhibit their
antisocial impulses most of the time, not
because of conscience, but because it
suits their purpose at the time.
• They repeat criminal/sexual acts due to
their inability to generate pleasure from
mental imagery (memory)
Elements of Psychopathy #7
• Words do not seem to have the same
meaning for them as they do for others. In
fact, it is unclear if they even grasp the
meaning of their own words, a condition
that researchers called "semantic
aphasia.“
• They do not follow any life plan, and it
seems as if they are incapable of
experiencing any genuine emotion.
Elements of Psychopthy #8
• They are natural-born
intraspecies predators who
satisfy their lust for power and
control by charm,
manipulation, intimidation,
and violence.
Psychopathic Traits
Emotional/Interpersonal
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Glib and Superficial Charm
Egocentric and Grandiose
Lack of Remorse or Guilt
Callousness and Lack of Empathy
Conning and Manipulative
Shallow Emotions
Pathological Lying
Failure to Accept Responsibility
Psychopathic Traits
Social Deviance
• Impulsive/Irresponsible
• Poor Behavioral Controls
• Need for Stimulation/Proneness to
Boredom
• Parasitic Lifestyle
• Early Behavioral Problems
• Lack of Realistic Long Term Goals
• Criminal Versatility
Glibness Superficial Charm
In Detail
• Voluble – characterized by ready or rapid
speech
• Verbally Facile - easily accomplished or
attained, shallow or simplistic, used or
comprehended with ease, readily
manifested and often lacking sincerity or
depth, mild or pleasing in manner or
disposition
• Likeable or pitiable
First 50 Clinical Contacts
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Specific Knowledge of Offence
Reading Victim Statements
No Trust Earned
Skepticism of Supervising Officer
Denial of the Offence
Lack of responsibility
Superficial/Transparent Kindness
Protect the Victim Allegiance
Next 150 Contacts
• Development of the Therapeutic
Relationship
• Familiarity
• Relationship grows in Depth
• Development of “Trust” (See recidivism)
• “This Guy is Different”
• Compliance
• Belief in the Concept of Change
• “It is going to be OK”
Idiosyncratic Credit
• Idiosyncratic credit is an allowance for
leeway that is gained through making
good contributions to the program by
volunteering, working hard, and doing
more than is expected. Someone who
has gained idiosyncratic credit is allowed
to do something dumb or wrong while
performing tasks. The catch is, that
person isn't granted permission to all of a
sudden start being a total idiot all the
time.
Top Qualities of Good
Therapists
• Good Therapists are Compassionate
and Caring
• Good Therapists are Introspective and
Self-Aware
• Good Therapists Need Strong
Interpersonal Skills
• Good Therapists are Patient
• Good Therapists are Ethical, Moral,
and Law-Abiding
What to Do?
• Always remember the goal is risk
reduction not elimination….
• You can teach a leopard not to bite but
you can’t erase the spots….
• You cannot change the core essence of
what a person is……
• Remember what the science tells us….
• “A man’s got to know his limitations…”
• Sex offences are generated out of
negative emotional states
Criminogenic Needs for Sexual
Recidivism (Hanson)
A-list (3+ Studies)
• Offence-Supportive Attitudes
• Intimacy deficits
– Emotional congruence with children
– Lack of stable love relationships
– Conflicts in intimate relationships
• Negative Social Influences
• Poor Cognitive Problem-Solving
• Grievance/Hostility
Criminogenic Needs for Sexual
Recidivism
B-list (at least one prediction study)
• Sexualized coping
• Callousness/Lack of concern for
others
• Poor emotional control
• Hostile beliefs about women
• Adversarial sexual orientation
• Machiavellianism
Possible Criminogenic Needs for
Sexual Recidivism (some evidence)
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General and sexual entitlement
Fragile narcissism
Delinquent pride
Loneliness
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• Hare's PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist –
Revised) 20-item checklist was developed after
years of research on and interviews with
psychopaths. Here are the key concepts in the
PCL-R:
• 1. GLIB and SUPERFICIAL CHARM -- the
tendency to be smooth, engaging, charming,
slick, and verbally facile. Psychopathic charm is
not in the least shy, self-conscious, or afraid to
say anything. A psychopath never gets tonguetied. They have freed themselves from the social
conventions about taking turns in talking, for
example.
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• 2. GRANDIOSE SELF-WORTH -- a
grossly inflated view of one's abilities and
self-worth, self-assured, opinionated,
cocky, a braggart. Psychopaths are
arrogant people who believe they are
superior human beings.
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• 3. NEED FOR STIMULATION or
PRONENESS TO BOREDOM -- an
excessive need for novel, thrilling, and
exciting stimulation; taking chances and
doing things that are risky. Psychopaths
often have a low self-discipline in carrying
tasks through to completion because they
get bored easily. They fail to work at the
same job for any length of time, for
example, or to finish tasks that they
consider dull or routine.
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• 4. PATHOLOGICAL LYING -- can be moderate
or high; in moderate form, they will be shrewd,
crafty, cunning, sly, and clever; in extreme form,
they will be deceptive, deceitful, underhanded,
unscrupulous, manipulative, and dishonest.
• 5. CONNING AND MANIPULA TIVENESS- the
use of deceit and deception to cheat, con, or
defraud others for personal gain; distinguished
from Item #4 in the degree to which exploitation
and callous ruthlessness is present, as reflected
in a lack of concern for the feelings and suffering
of one's victims.
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• 6. LACK OF REMORSE OR GUILT -- a
lack of feelings or concern for the losses,
pain, and suffering of victims; a tendency
to be unconcerned, dispassionate,
coldhearted, and unempathic. This item is
usually demonstrated by a disdain for
one's victims.
• 7. SHALLOW AFFECT -- emotional
poverty or a limited range or depth of
feelings; interpersonal coldness in spite of
signs of open gregariousness.
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• 8. CALLOUSNESS and LACK OF
EMPATHY -- a lack of feelings toward
people in general; cold, contemptuous,
inconsiderate, and tactless.
• 9. PARASITIC LIFESTYLE -- an
intentional, manipulative, selfish, and
exploitative financial dependence on
others as reflected in a lack of motivation,
low self-discipline, and inability to begin or
complete responsibilities.
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• 10. POOR BEHAVIORAL CONTROLS -expressions of irritability, annoyance,
impatience, threats, aggression, and verbal
abuse; inadequate control of anger and temper;
acting hastily.
• 11. PROMISCUOUS SEXUAL BEHAVIOR -- a
variety of brief, superficial relations, numerous
affairs, and an indiscriminate selection of sexual
partners; the maintenance of several
relationships at the same time; a history of
attempts to sexually coerce others into sexual
activity or taking great pride at discussing sexual
exploits or conquests.
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• 12. EARLY BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS -- a
variety of behaviors prior to age 13,
including lying, theft, cheating, vandalism,
bullying, sexual activity, fire-setting, gluesniffing, alcohol use, and running away
from home.
• 13. LACK OF REALISTIC, LONG-TERM
GOALS -- an inability or persistent failure
to develop and execute long-term plans
and goals; a nomadic existence, aimless,
lacking direction in life.
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• 14. IMPULSIVITY -- the occurrence of behaviors
that are unpremeditated and lack reflection or
planning; inability to resist temptation,
frustrations, and urges; a lack of deliberation
without considering the consequences;
foolhardy, rash, unpredictable, erratic, and
reckless.
• 15. IRRESPONSIBILITY -- repeated failure to
fulfill or honor obligations and commitments;
such as not paying bills, defaulting on loans,
performing sloppy work, being absent or late to
work, failing to honor contractual agreements.
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• 16. FAILURE TO ACCEPT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR OWN ACTIONS
-- a failure to accept responsibility for
one's actions reflected in low
conscientiousness, an absence of
dutifulness, antagonistic manipulation,
denial of responsibility, and an effort to
manipulate others through this denial.
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• 17. MANY SHORT-TERM MARITAL
RELATIONSHIPS -- a lack of commitment
to a long-term relationship reflected in
inconsistent, undependable, and
unreliable commitments in life, including
marital.
• 18. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY -behavior problems between the ages of
13-18; mostly behaviors that are crimes or
clearly involve aspects of antagonism,
exploitation, aggression, manipulation, or
a callous, ruthless tough-mindedness.
Robert Hare’s PCL-R
• 19. REVOCATION OF CONDITION
RELEASE -- a revocation of probation or
other conditional release due to technical
violations, such as carelessness, low
deliberation, or failing to appear.
• 20. CRIMINAL VERSATILITY -- a
diversity of types of criminal offenses,
regardless if the person has been arrested
or convicted for them; taking great pride
with getting away with crime.
Understanding Borderline
Personality Disorder
• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
• Is a pervasive pattern of instability in
interpersonal relationships, self-image,
emotional adjustments, and marked
impulsivity demonstrated in a variety of
contexts.
“Opposites Attract” #1
• As opposed to disorders along the
antisocial spectrum which can be said to
represent a disease of detachment,
borderlines and the obsessivecompulsives can be said to be afflicted
with a disease of attachment.
“Opposites Attract” #2
• Such people are often pathologically
attached -- to persons, places, and things
-- so much that they sometimes block out
any other person's right to an opinion or
thoughts of their own. As with all
personality disorders, there is a
disinhibition of violence, and sometimes
violence may be directed toward another
person. That is usually when they come
to the attention of criminal justice
authorities.
“Opposites Attract” #3
• Relationships hold sway over the control (or
lack of control) in these kinds of people.
• Researcher Dr. Drew is a source of information
on sex-related relationship issues. Dr. Drew's
theory (and one with wide ramifications) is that
women with borderline personality disorders
tend to be attracted to and maintain
relationships with men who manifest symptoms
of psychopathic personality disorder.
Conclusions
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Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”
If you're havin' trouble with your high school head/huh, huh, huh, huh
He's givin' you the blues/huh, huh, huh
You wanna graduate but not in 'is bed/huh, huh, huh, huh
Here's what you gotta do/huh, huh, huh
Pick up the phone, I'm always home/huh, huh, huh, huh, huh
Call me anytime/huh, huh, huh
Just ring: three-six-two-four-three-six, hey
I lead a life of crime
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Dirty deeds done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
You got problems in your life of love/huh, huh, huh, huh
You got a broken heart/huh, huh, huh
He's double-dealin' with your best friend/huh, huh, huh, huh, huh
That's when the teardrops start FELLA, well-uh/huh, huh, huh
Pick up the phone, I'm here alone/huh, huh, huh, huh, huh
Or make a social call/huh, huh, huh, huh
Come right in, forget about him
We'll have ourselves a ball, eh
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap, oohh
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
Whoa yeah
You got a lady and you want her gone/huh, huh, huh, huh
But you ain't got the guts/huh, huh, huh
She keeps naggin' at you night 'n' day/huh, huh, huh, huh
Enough to drive you nuts/huh, huh, huh, huh
Pick up the phone, leave her alone/huh, huh, huh, huh
It's time you made a stand/huh, huh, huh, huh
For a fee, I'm happy to be
Your back door man, hey
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap, yeah
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
Concrete shoes
Cyanide
T.N.T
Done dirt cheap
Ooo, neckties
Contracts
High voltage
Done dirt cheap, eah
Dirty deeds, do anything you want me to, done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds, dirty deeds, dirty deeds, done dirt cheap
Yaaagh
Contact Information
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Kenneth J. Duszynski M.Ed., C.R.C.
Director of Forensic Services
Mid Erie Counseling & Treatment
1131 Broadway
Buffalo, NY 14212
Cell (716) 359-1374
Office (716) 896-7350
FAX (716) 332-1879
Email [email protected]
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