Abstract
The interaction between psychiatry and the law often results in a plethora of conflicting opinions with little objective data. Psychiatrists can make a useful contribution to this problem by educating legislative and correctional personnel about the diagnosis and prognosis of many criminals. Current data suggest the following: (1) most male criminals are sociopaths; (2) there is no effective treatment for sociopathy; (3) sociopathic behavior shows noticeable spontaneous remission in the fourth and fifth decade; (4) the diagnosis of sociopathy is positively associated with recidivism in released male felons.
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