Making Sense of Violent Crime

Psychosis

Misconceptions About the Link Between Psychosis and Violence

Jackie Craissati, Ph.D., M.B.E on May 31, 2022

Assumptions about the link between severe mental illness and violence are distorted by media accounts of terrifying attacks on random strangers.

Domestic Violence

Risk Assessment and the Science of Public Opinion

Jackie Craissati, Ph.D., M.B.E on April 20, 2022

Have you found yourself mystified at the decision to release a violent offender from prison? Understanding how our emotions influence our risk judgments.

Sexual Abuse

Turning the Tables: Shifting From Victim to Perpetrator

Jackie Craissati, Ph.D., M.B.E on January 10, 2022

Have you ever wondered how group therapy for men with sexual convictions tackles the issue of sexual victimisation in childhood?

Sexual Abuse

The Pathway From Victim to Perpetrator

Jackie Craissati, Ph.D., M.B.E on January 4, 2022

Is childhood trauma a necessary part of the narrative to understand men with sexual convictions? Or is sexual abuse simply a means of trying to excuse abhorrent behaviour?

Child Development

A Childhood in Care and an Adult Life in Prison

Jackie Craissati, Ph.D., M.B.E on October 30, 2021

From care home to prison: Why a child's peer group is so influential.

Embarrassment

The Myth of Denial: "I Didn’t Do It"

Jackie Craissati, Ph.D., M.B.E on September 24, 2021

It's time to get to grips with myths about the risk of violent reoffending. Here's why denial and victim empathy are less important than you might think.

Attachment

Two People, Four Minds

Jackie Craissati, Ph.D., M.B.E on August 30, 2021

Is there only one truth about violent crime, one that is determined by the courts? Exploring an incident from different perspectives helps us understand the perpetrator's motives.