It is no longer surprising when the perpetrators of violent crimes are found to meet the diagnostic criteria for personality disorders, especially when it is antisocial personality disorder. There are several individuals in prisons and correctional institutions who have been diagnosed with or meet the DSM’s (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses) diagnostic criteria for one or many personality disorders given the law breaking nature of such disorders. Indeed, 50% to 80% of people in prison meet the diagnosis criteria for anti-social personality disorder (ASPD) and about 15% do for psychopathy (Ogloff, 2006). ASPD is notably associated with offences such as “obstruction of justice, firearms, robbery and blackmail, escape
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They may burst out in an explosion of emotional expression for reasons that individuals without a personality disorder would perceive as of little importance. Indeed, motivations for violence can range from desire to prevent loss to an attempt to restore one’s self-esteem (Davison & Janaca, 2012). Low impulse control may result in a “predisposition to react rapidly and without planning to internal and external stimuli with lack of regard for short-term and long-term consequences for oneself and others” (Howard, 2015) and thus to violent crimes. In fact, people with personality disorders have personality traits that limit their choices of actions or behaviours to adopt when trying to cope with difficult situations occurring in their lives (Stone, 2007). When under pressure and strong emotional arousal (Esbec & Echeburúa, 2010) they are thus left with impulsive unavoidable reactions in which they resort to violent criminal behaviours as their only way out (Stone,
They may burst out in an explosion of emotional expression for reasons that individuals without a personality disorder would perceive as of little importance. Indeed, motivations for violence can range from desire to prevent loss to an attempt to restore one’s self-esteem (Davison & Janaca, 2012). Low impulse control may result in a “predisposition to react rapidly and without planning to internal and external stimuli with lack of regard for short-term and long-term consequences for oneself and others” (Howard, 2015) and thus to violent crimes. In fact, people with personality disorders have personality traits that limit their choices of actions or behaviours to adopt when trying to cope with difficult situations occurring in their lives (Stone, 2007). When under pressure and strong emotional arousal (Esbec & Echeburúa, 2010) they are thus left with impulsive unavoidable reactions in which they resort to violent criminal behaviours as their only way out (Stone,