Little is known about the minds of psychopaths and what really lies behind the horrific things they do. Following criminal psychologist professor Robert Hare, this documentary set out to find a possible explanation to the underlying neurology problems of the psychopathic mind.
According to newer studies, psychopaths make up about 1 percent of the general population and as much as 25 percent of male offenders in federal correctional settings.
Although psychopathic inmates are four times as likely to re-offend than other released prisoners, they are also just as likely to get parole. Why is there such a difference? What drives the psychopathic mind?
According to criminal psychologist professor Robert D. Hare we should look to the brain for answers. Throughout this documentary, we’ll get a glimpse into the neurological conditions of being a psychopath, witness psychopathic behaviour and perhaps get a deeper understanding into the mental works behind it.
The entirety of the documentary takes a look at the ways we examine criminal psychology behind extreme cases.
We’ll get to see the Psychopathy Checklist in action; a psychological tool developed by professor Hare to evaluate patients. It is a 20-item inventory of perceived personality traits and recorded behaviors, intended to be completed on the basis of a semi-structured interview along with a review of ‘collateral information’ such as official records.
Furthermore, to evaluate the psychology behind a psychopath, the documentary conducts IQ tests and investigates the notion of “blending in” with social norms. A person devoid of emotions learning to live in a society.
Finally, it also takes a look at the very strange phenomenon that treatment programmes make psychopaths re-offend earlier and more aggressively.