Sociopaths and Psychopaths Contrasted

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I chose to research, and then compare and contrast, the differences between Psychopaths and Sociopaths and the sociological effects the two have on society. I chose this topic because it is one of great interest to me, not only because I was previously in law enforcement, but also because I am very fascinated in criminal profiling and the science behind it. Since much of criminal profiling has to do with the ability to learn about, and study the behavior of the criminal mind and what prompts psychopaths and sociopaths to do the things they do, I thought it important to know what creates these two groups of people and how they affect our society by the crimes they commit.
Sociologists study all things human, and assume that human actions are deliberate, and individuals have the option to make choices. But sometimes that just doesn’t apply. In society the behavior of some people goes beyond that permitted by the norms. Social life is characterized not only by conformity but by deviance, or any behavior that violates a norm. Deviance suggests unusual and strange behavior of people with twisted minds pursuing twisted activities. (Sociology: The Core) Psychopaths and sociopaths fall into this deviant category since their lives result in the commission of crimes and the hurting of other people.
Crime is considered to be an act of deviance that is prohibited by law. The distinguishing property of crime is that people who violate the law are liable to be arrested, tried, pronounced guilty, and deprived of their lives, liberty, and property. (Sociology: The Core) Because of deviance and the non-acceptance of social norms, we have had to put a criminal justice system in place to handle these issues. Even though crime has gone down...

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...http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sociopath http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/psychopath http://cassiopaea.com/cassiopaea/psychopath_2.htm http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/law-enforcement-bulletin/july-2012/focus-on-psychopathy http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/law-enforcement-bulletin/july-2012/psychopathy-an-important-forensic-concept-for-the-21st-century
Sociology: The Core 10th edition, Michael Hughes, Carolyn J. Kroehler
Understanding Psychology, 10th edition, Charles G. Morris, Albert A. Maistro
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition: DSM-5 by American Psychiatric Association (May 27, 2013)
DSM-5 Clinical Cases by John W. Barnhill, M.D., John W. and M.D. Barnhill (Dec 15, 2013)
Criminal Profiling: An Introductory Guide by David Webb (Jan 23, 2013)
Criminal Sociology by Enrico Ferri (Mar 30, 2011)

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