[ExI] free-will, determinism, crime and punishment.

[Emlyn]

On 18/08/07, Jeff Davis <jrd1415 at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 8/17/07, John K Clark <jonkc at att.net> wrote:
> > "gts" <gts_2000 at yahoo.com>
>                      <snip>
> > > the goal of a correctional facility should
> > > be  simply to correct the nature of the criminal
> >
> > But we have no idea how to do that ...
>
> John, don't you think that if some sociopathic (but not organically
> defective) "offender" was placed under your tutelage, and you were
> given wide lattitude regarding what measures you could employ, that
> you couldn't straighten him/her out?  Perhaps not completely, but
> substantially?  Without surgical intervention.  You know, like place
> the individual in a new environment, where old (bad) habits don't
> work, and new habits have to be learned to gradually supplant the old?
>
> Or, if not under your tutelage (for whatever reason, say, you're
> disinclined or feel your skill set would be more rationally allocated
> to other tasks) then under someone else's.

I was reading this, and had a hazy recollection of learning in
undergrad psych that sociopaths are actually made worse by traditional
therapy (it helps them learn how to fake being normal).

I thought I should dig up a reference, did a bit of googling, found this:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_it_a_fact_that_no_sociopath_can_be_helped_by_therapy

it's a *bizzare* read, I recommend it. I don't know how factual it is,
but it looks to be written by a sociopath.

Emlyn