Product Description

This book corrects common media misconceptions about the nature of the criminal psyche in order to help writers create more credible and convincing characters. The Criminal Mind examines the fundamentals of psychology and law, theories of criminality, and character disorders that can lead to criminal behaviour. Writers will learn how criminals think and how forensic psychology is used to catch them. Katherine Ramsland also explores the legal process, including psychological evaluations, lie detection, insanity pleas and the treatment of criminals and victims.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32670 in Books
• Published on: 2002-08-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Synopsis
This book corrects common media misconceptions about the nature of the criminal psyche in order to help writers create more credible and convincing characters. The Criminal Mind examines the fundamentals of psychology and law, theories of criminality, and character disorders that can lead to criminal behaviour. Writers will learn how criminals think and how forensic psychology is used to catch them. Katherine Ramsland also explores the legal process, including psychological evaluations, lie detection, insanity pleas and the treatment of criminals and victims.

About the Author
Katherine Ramsland holds three postgraduate degrees in psychology and has taught psychology and philosophy at Rutgers University for fifteen years. She has published twelve nonfiction works, including Bliss: Writing to Find Your True Self, and recently released Forensic Science of CSI and Cemetery Stories. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

Customer Reviews

You either kill, be killed, or write about killing!
I was a bit doubtful about this title before I purchased it from Amazon. But I have to say, it was well worth the price! My only qualm would be that it is US-centric, but much of the laws of criminal behavioural studies do cross the Big Pond without too much hassle.

The author has produced a very readable book, which goes into detail on personality disorders, character disorders and pschoses, among others, and not only reports findings on the "disorders" of the criminal mind, but also offers tips and ideas on how a writer can use both characters of "unstable mind" as well as the pschologists and criminologists who study and treat them.

Those of us who want to write about murder/homicide/serial-killing etc should definitely invest in this book.