Main description:

Why do human beings commit grotesque acts of violence such as paedophilia and murder? How should we treat the perpetrators of these horrific atrocities? In this gripping book, Professor Brett Kahr examines the nature of criminality throughout history, exploring the ways in which we have progressed from the ancient methods of torture and the execution of offenders to a more humane and psychologically sophisticated approach.
Richly steeped in compelling clinical case reports, long-forgotten archival material, and a thorough review of cutting-edge psychological research, Dangerous Lunatics offers a unique insight into the nature of the criminal mind and its potential cure.

Contents:

Introduction: The man who shot his mother and father in the face
1 Torture and Execution: Ancient Remedies for Perpetrators
2 The Medicalisation of Insanity: Hereditary Taint and the Criminal Brain
3 The Freudian Challenge: Towards a Humanisation of Offenders
4 The Growth of Forensic Psychotherapy: From Punishment to Treatment
5 Paedophilia: The Sexualisation of
Trauma
6 Murder: The Castration of Safety
Conclusion: Blue-sky thinking: the future of forensic mental health
End notes
Acknowledgements
References
Index