The Psychology of a Killer: Revelations of a Prison Psychiatrist

What drives people to commit crimes and what do they feel afterward, how do they evaluate their actions? Perhaps the best person to understand the psychology of killers is a prison psychologist: it is with them that convicts often share their secrets, telling things they have not mentioned in court or to their loved ones. Theodor Dalrymple worked for many years as a psychiatrist and prison doctor in London and Birmingham. During his career, he encountered many horrifying, amusing, and sad stories. He served as an expert in high-profile trials, treated murderers, robbers, and fraudsters, and interacted with their victims, prison guards, and lawyers.

By combining compassion and irony in his narrative, the author paints a psychological portrait of a killer, while also revealing the vices of modern society. Dalrymple's book offers a new perspective on today's justice system, on the relationship between law and society, on established stereotypes and fashionable social trends that sometimes hinder a clear assessment of criminals' motives and the fair dispensing of justice.