Psycholegal Issues in the Criminal and Juvenile Systems

Different psycholegal issues arise in the criminal and juvenile systems that are of importance to forensic investigation. In particular, legal investigation can help to identify and classify individuals as inalterably dangerous. The application of measures related to psychopathy can be useful in making decisions in offender sentencing and institutional supervision during forensic investigations. However, it is vital to note that psychopathy measures may not make accurate assumptions when it comes to labeling individuals as dangerous (Patrick, 2018). Criminal offenders are different in significant ways, and the classification of criminals into homogeneous groups continues to attract scientific inquiry. Subtypes of psychopathy are useful predictors of an individual’s future level of criminality. As the police work on the streets, they have to be informed on how to use personality disorders to classify criminal offenders.

I think that there is considerable evidence to conclude that psychopathy subtypes are valid and helpful in establishing individuals with high psychopathic behaviors. The widely used classification includes primary and secondary psychopathy. Primary psychopathy, for instance, exhibits shallow emotions and may lack empathy. Moreover, both secondary and primary subtype tends to exhibit high antisocial behavior, but with different personality structures (Patrick, 2018). This means that the police have to use different interrogation methods due to differences in personality structures. The most significant difference between the primary and secondary subtype is the components of negative emotionality. For instance, secondary subtypes exhibit high levels of negative emotions and are associated with mental health issues. Understanding different subtypes and their personality, including behavioral traits, will allow authorities to establish strategies that can favor the police and prosecutors. Psychopaths can be manipulative, making it difficult for interrogating officers to obtain accurate information. Hence, law enforcement officers have to be in the position of using appropriate strategies when questioning individuals with different subtypes. In general, the forensic field has to understand differences in subtypes to enhance their investigations.

Reference 

Patrick, C. J. (Ed.). (2018).  Handbook of psychopathy . Guilford Publications.