Abstract
The decades-long search for “root causes” of criminal behavior has been futile and counterproductive. Focusing on causation has resulted in failed policies and ineffective programs and, inadvertently, has provided offenders with additional excuses for their destructive behavior. It is far more useful to adopt a phenomenological approach in order to focus on the offender's world view. This enables one to understand the psychological makeup of people who engage in antisocial behavior. By identifying specific thinking patterns common to offenders, it is possible to take a more realistic and effective approach to containing and, in some cases, totally eliminating criminal behavior.
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