NEGATIVE REVIEW: Inside the Criminal Mind - Stanton E. Samenow, Ph.D.

I received this book via Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. Any thoughts and opinions are my own. That being said, I would not have reviewed this trash on my blog if I had not promised to review it on my blog. I feel like it's a complete waste of printed paper and I really don't even want to waste my time or yours to tell you not to read it but here you go.....

I did not finish this book. I got about half-way through it and could not push myself to continue on. Dr. Samenow did a very poor job of convincing me that his research proves how a criminal mind works. He believes that all criminals are incredibly smart people. After working in the criminal justice field, I have personal experience to discredit that statement. I have come across criminals in my career who could barely pass an IQ test, which was part of the reason they had turned to a life of crime. Dr. Samenow also does not believe that biology, upbringing, or environment have anything to do with how people become criminals. You can pick up thousands of different books, case studies, research papers, etc., that will discredit that claim. Dr. Samenow could not prove his point other than with his own research. In order for me to believe someone who is saying something that goes against what hundreds and hundreds of sociologists, psychologists, criminologists, and other experts in the criminal justice field have said, I need to see more proof other than just their research. I need to see something else that backs up their claim. Dr. Samenow couldn't deliver. 

The point that I closed the book is where Dr.Samenow DEFENDS a man who was convicted of looking at child pornography. He claims that the man only did it to relieve boredom. THAT MAKES IT RIGHT?? Those children that were in the child pornography he was watching were victimized and forced to do something immoral and unnatural for some other sick person's enjoyment; to relieve their boredom. He claims that this man would have never would have acted physically on his desires. SO WHAT? He watched someone else VICTIMIZE a child but it's okay because he didn't do it and it's not really a big deal because he was just relieving some boredom. Sickening!
Needless to say I give this book ZERO stars. I try as hard as I can to be tolerant of other peoples views, even if they do not align with mine but I just couldn't with this. I think child abuse is one of the most despicable things that you can do and for someone to make excuses for someone who has done and or participated in any part of that abuse just turns my stomach. 
Don't read this book.