Forensic Psychology and Criminal Investigation - Essay Example

Researchers such as Harris and Rice are of the perspective that the more conventional talk therapy psychopaths receive, the more they are able to hone their skills of manipulation, deceit (Patrick, 2006). Consequently, the probability of future risk offending accelerates as psychopaths are already more susceptible to violence and offences over a longer span of time than non-psychopaths. A retrospective study carried out in 2011 revealed escalated criminal recidivism after customary psychopathy treatments.

Empirical studies have even revealed that treatments suited for other offenders can actually prove detrimental for psychopaths (McMurran, Egan, & Ahmadi, 1998). This point can be understood by considering the fact that psychopaths are categorically dissimilar from other offenders. They have no impairment or wrong that can be fixed by therapy or clinical treatments. Instead, they display an evolutionarily viable life strategy based on manipulation, cheating, callousness, and the like traits. Personality disorders encompass symptoms that tend to be rigid, inflexible, and maladaptive; thus making it nearly impossible to treat a person completely.

Harris and Rice emphasize there is hardly any evidence of a complete cure or effectual treatment for psychopaths. This is because no medicine can instil emotions such as empathy, sympathy and the like. In fact, some research even demonstrated that punitive measures and behaviour modification methodologies have no impact on improving the metal state of psychopaths (Patrick, 2006) Likewise, Hervey Cleckley also is of the view that psychopaths neither benefit from the treatment and nor are capable of entering into emotional relations that are a pre-requisite for effective therapy.

The clinical literature is equally pessimistic on the subject (Cleckley, 1982). For now, the best available literature advocates that effective management and intervention can come by applying social learning