Psychological features of the offender

Psychological personality traits of the offender
The crucial issue for legal psychology is finding psychological differences between the personality of the offender (the criminal) and the law-abiding person. A comparative psychological and sociological study of the identity of criminals and law-abiding citizens has made it possible to draw a number of important conclusions about the characteristics of the personality of the criminal. The offender is a person with a significantly higher level of anxiety and as a result of self-doubt, impulsiveness and aggressiveness, significant estrangement from social values ​​and socially useful communication.
High sensitivity leads to the fact that these people in interpersonal relationships tend to resolve all conflicts by force. For criminals, a low level of social adaptability is characteristic, and, on the contrary, a high degree of alienation from important small social groups / family, professional collective, friends, etc. /. (Criminology: Textbook / Edited by VN Kudryavtsev, Prof. VE Eminov - M.: Lawyer, 1995, pp.80-81) It is also necessary to note the deformation of the legal conscience of offenders. Among them is a permissible violation of a criminal law or other legal prohibition. Negative attitudes towards regulatory and legal prohibitions and law enforcement values ​​are correlated with attitudes to their violation.
Deformations in the value-motivational sphere reflect, on the one hand, a lack of interest in learning or productive work, on the other hand, it demonstrates hypervtreatment to rest, leisure activities, the possession of fashionable clothes, etc.
The commission of crimes is precisely aimed at satisfying hypertrophied leisure needs and interests. Leisure time offenders associated with the use of alcohol, drugs, sexual intercourse, etc.
Many offenders have significantly deformed the emotional sphere, there is an emotional “stupidity”, insensitivity to the suffering of others, and aggressiveness. At the same time, emotional imbalance, affectivity, a tendency to inadequate reaction situations are noted. Often there are negative changes in will and volitional qualities.
Analysis of the motivational sphere of offenders allows us to detect various forms of regulation of their behavior. The one-sidedness, the immaturity of their motivational sphere often lies in the narrow temporal orientation of the motivation, expressed in the desire to “live for the present day”, “go with the flow”, use the fact that “falls into the hands”, etc. This orientation demobilizes the individual, does not create attitudes to overcome life difficulties, long-term life plans, but leads to situationality, impulsiveness in actions and deeds.
The properties that characterize the cognitive sphere of the offender sometimes take a form of inadequate cognitive stereotypes and rigid standards of perception of other people, social situations.

First of all, this is manifested in rigidity, inactivity of perception, its inflexibility, in attributing to another person properties that he does not possess or, on the contrary, “impoverishment” of the content of another person’s personality. Peculiar perception by offenders of law enforcement officers, whom they all fall under the category of “They,” that is, persons who are specially appointed to punish, judge, punish, oppress, etc.
Available facts show that such qualities as neglecting the interests of the individual, disrespecting the honor, dignity and health of another person are inherent in violent criminals. Selfish criminals show deceit, hypocrisy, self-interest and greed, the desire to avoid productive labor. Hooligans show features of moral licentiousness, disregard for the rules of behavior in society and incontinence. Among the characterological qualities of offenders are often called indiscipline, lack of organization, distrust, isolation, laziness, etc.