There are some people who are incapable of having empathy or sympathy. They call these people psychopaths or sociopaths. They have no emotion or care in the world except themselves. Their brain has no capability of ever feeling any sort of empathy for other humans. While most psychopaths are really weird, there are some that can live and function normally in society. John Wayne Gacy is a perfect example. He was a businessman, a political activist, and a clown for children's parties. He also raped and murdered 30+ teenage boys. There is no known therapy or medication to treat psychopaths. They have no concept of consequences.
This brings up an interesting issue. Most psychologists agree that psychopathy is untreatable. Even when treatments are applied the vast majority of psychopaths will end up in jail for a violent crime.
So my question is this: Is it right to put a psychopath in a mental institute or jail before theyâve committed a crime? If thereâs almost no chance that a person will be a law abiding citizen, is it right to keep them out of society to protect the general public?
If we start thinking that way than people will begin pointing fingers at each other and yelling "Phsycopath" out of intrinsic human paranoia. If someone is extremely eccentric they would be labeled as a phsycopath even if they are not. People would assume in the same way any adult outside of a child's family/friends would be considered a pedophile because they showed some kindness or were a bit forward with them. The society we live in would prosecute many innocent people if we were to enact this. Besides, they usually get a "trigger" that spontaneously turns all the problems into a pshycological meltdown. Whether they are phsycotic or not isn't usually apparent until the bodies start showing up.
in a mental institute or jail before they've committed a crime?
No, as CZ pointed out people would begin pointing fingers at each other not only out of paranoia but in order to gain something. The Crucible is a very good example of what I'm referring to.
Also, the possibility to commit a crime, doesn't mean that the crime has been committed. "Innocent til proven guilty" These 'sychopaths' deserve the benefit of the doubt just as everyone else does.
Psychopaths are not easily identifiable, thelistman. In fact, the majority are not identified as psychopaths as they lead perfectly normal lives. Just because you are a psychopath or have psychopathic traits does not mean you're going to commit a violent crime.
It's like jailing a bi-polar person for the same reason. Jail em before they break a screw upstairs, eh?
Psychopaths, at least many of them, live normal lives. You are saying they should be jailed because they have a higher probability of committing crime, correct? Statistically speaking, so do several races. They were both born with what they had. Does that mean we should arrest people of those races?
How would you even know? Most people who are psychopathic or sociapathic lead perfectly normal lives for the most part. There's nothing to really set them apart.
There are somehow find an outlet through displays of animal cruelty and fighting. i.e. If your child suddenly starts lighting cats on fire, and punching his peers, you might want to go to a doctor.
Why not just throw the entire judiciary system out while we're at it.
I agree. Lets just lock up black people and poor people, too. Just to prove a point.
/sarcasm
There's nothing to really set them apart.
There are a lot of behavioral inconsistencies, but nothing substantial. They're usually distant and cold though, so that's a sign. They may also laugh at anything that is normally unfunny (i.e. murder). Things like that.
Those could also be caused by a number of other disorders.
Psychopathy isn't a classified medical disorder in itself, more of a state of mind.
But yes, this is correct. Even personality types (like me) may be perceived as having psychopathic traits, while not being actually psychopathic. This could be a point of confusion.
How would you even know? Most people who are psychopathic or sociapathic lead perfectly normal lives for the most part. There's nothing to really set them apart.
Exactly. The only way to truly assess if one possesses a level of psychosis it to admit them and analyze them. However this typically only happens AFTER the person has exhibited clear signs, often some crime.
Furthermore, it would simply be illegal to hold them on the basis of some form of psychosis. If we are to go that far then why not eliminate them since we can't have them in society. This would be a 'slippery slope' legislation and an appalling abuse of basic civil rights.
However this typically only happens AFTER the person has exhibited clear signs, often some crime.
I agree. But let's do a hypothetical. Little Johnny has displayed a lack of empathetic behaviors along with sadistic tendencies. He finally takes the family cat and skins him alive. Now, locking this child up is not the best answer. But leaving him in his home environment with his mother? Nope.
Now, you've got a pretty scary child on your hands. I would propose a special, guarded school.
Did someone mention civil rights in here? Okay, civil rights. You can't just lock up witches for being a witch. Though we have locked up witches, sent them into internment camps, and otherwise executed witches, we have to find it in our hearts as rational Americans and not lock up witches before they show us that they are witches.
