Matthew Perry Friend and Harbinger
Chandler Bing of the TV show “Friends” was known by viewers as a jokester—it was his…
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A Personality Trait that Resists the Pull Towards Violence & Cruelty
In my last blog I explored the complexity of cruelty and the social conditions that can…
Complexity of Cruelty – Why wanton evil is so commonplace
Acts of inhumanity and forbidding calamities are in our face daily, in the newspapers we read…
Media and Mental Illness
The Los Angeles Times newspaper report was horrific. In an eruption of primordial rage, 34-year old…
Six factors that motivate random mass murders
On October 27, 2023 in the city of Linden, Maine, a gunman walked into the Simmerhorn…
Becoming a Victim of Online Dating Who’s at Risk?
In my last blog, I highlighted the problems associated with premature in-person date with an online…
Online Dating & Its Illusions The dangers of an unspoken fantasy
John was charged with assaulting Vanessa during their in-person rendezvous. First, they met online, then texted…
Should an Abnormal MRI Excuse a Psychopath from Murder
I was asked by a criminal attorney to conduct a neuropsychological evaluation on his client Matthew,…
Hate Crime Rising
The numbers tell the story. Researchers found that in 2015 and 2016, hate crime rates increased…
Self Hatred and Crime
Andy recalled his childhood as one filled with fear and aloneness. His mother Elizabeth was a…
Dr. Lettieri Featured by Huffington Post
The HUFFPOST asked Dr. Lettieri to go inside the mind of the true crime junkie. Listen…
Can Mental Health Professionals Help Reduce Crime?
When 911 operators in Denver receive calls about citizens acting irrationally, mental health professionals together with…
The Potential for Extreme Violent Behavior is Not Always Apparent Making sense of senseless violence
Having completed his freshman year of college, Robert eagerly looked forward to a summer trip to…
Is the Heat of Passion Defense Biased Against Women The regressive nature of the manslaughter statues
I was retained to examine Simon, a man in his 60s who strangled his wife to…
How NYC’s new subway safety plan could affect people of color
The plan, announced last month, pairs social workers and police officers to do outreach and boosts…
Useful Illusions What leads a seemingly “normal” person to conspiratorial thinking?
Most people who embrace one or more of the conspiracy theories floating out there in the…
The Serial Killer and Sexuality A case involving the fusion of lust and hate
When first retained to evaluate Ray, his lawyer, Bill told me that his client was charged…
Podcast Genuine Chit Chat Episode 146 – Defining Insanity and Decoding Madness
Richard Lettieri Ph.D; forensic neuropsychologist, psychoanalyst and author joins Mike for an in-depth discussion of his…
News Channel 8 – Decoding Madness Interview
Dr. Lettieri joins Gayle Guyardo the host of the nationally syndicated health and wellness show Bloom…
When is a Mentally Disordered Person Dangerous? The relationship between violence and mental illness is complex
How do you know if a neighbor with a mental problem is dangerous, or if that…
Forensic Psychologist – Good Day CW
A forensic psychologist wrote an article about psychopathic personalities and the traits to look out for,…
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST RICHARD LETTIERI ON THE MANY PATHWAYS TO A FALSE CONFESSION
In the Netflix’s documentary, Making a Murderer, 16-year old Brendan Dassey is interrogated by two detectives who…
10 Reasons Why You Might Falsely Admit to Crimes You Didn’t Commit You are more vulnerable than you think
Why would anyone admit to a crime if innocent? It betrays our basic instinct for self-preservation,…
Las Vegas Shooter: Inside the “Daimonic” Mind
Dr. Richard Lettieri is a forensic neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst. In his new book, “Decoding Madness,” he…
Seven Signs that You Might be a Psychopath – iHeartRadio
DR. RICHARD LETTIERI, forensic neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst, and contributing writer for Psychology Today gives an interview…
Seven Dangerous Traits of the Psychopath
What does it mean when we call someone a psychopath? Most people have heard the term…
Why the Hell are We so Interested in Crime Stories. And What Does it Tell Us About Ourselves
At every turn there’s an HBO special Netflix series or new podcasts about murder, crime and…
The Douglas Coleman Show VE with Richard Lettieri Phd
Richard Lettieri, PhD. is a forensic neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst with over 25 years of experience. Whether…
Podcast: 1010. A Day in the Life: What’s It Really Like to Be a Forensic Neuropsychologist?
DISCOVER YOUR TALENT PODCAST “I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life,…
Understanding Humanity: Interview with Richard Lettieri
By Carin Chea Richard Lettieri isn’t just a renowned neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst. He is a…
A Forensic Psychologist on the Case That Gave Him Nightmares
by ADAM JANOS A man who kills his wife and then goes out for a night…
Defund Police? Three Remedies & a Recommendation
In a survey released in 2016, 70% of Americans expressed a favorable attitude towards police. At…
A Forensic Psychologist on the Case That Gave Him Nightmares
A man who kills his wife and then goes out for a night on the town…
The Case of the Body Snatchers
As I began my interview with Andrew, his bizarre thinking herniated forth. His speech rapid and…
God, Man and Insanity, Part I
The insanity defense as a legal concept was born in England, in 1843. A man named…
Why Do Mothers Kill Their Babies?
After less than two days of deliberation following Janice’s insanity trial, she was found guilty of…
Madness or Malingering? or Both?
Jody and Donna were his first two victims. As they sat in Jody’s car in front…
What helps children to overcome painful early experience?
Childhood is a nostalgic time for people. We often idealize what life was like before the…
The neuropsychological evaluation of psychological disability
Some people are born with disabilities, while others become disabled because of traumatic accidents, medical conditions,…
Juvenile Offenders and Substance Abuse
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one study shows that up to 77% of…
What are the differences between a misdemeanor and a felony?
People unfamiliar with the criminal justice system often use the terms “misdemeanor” and “felony” interchangeably. While…
The Dangers of Sports Concussions During Childhood and Adolescence
Concussions can be caused by sudden falls, violent shaking, or a blow to the head. They…
Covid-19 and Prison: Are inmates at greater risk to contract the virus?
When COVID19 upended our lives, everyone was told to wash their hands with soap and water,…
The Reasoning Behind the Miranda Warning
If you like watching true crime films and TV, you’ve probably heard this phrase at one…
Why Would an Innocent Person Confess to a Crime He Didn’t Commit
Several years ago, Netflix’s When They See Us made us revisit the case of the Exonerated…
Are Women Committing More Crimes?
Prior to the 1950s, the study of crime in the United States traditionally focused on male…
Do Psychopaths Mellow with Age?
What is a “Psychopath”? Most people have heard the term, but many aren’t sure exactly what…
The Link between Adult ADHD and Criminal Behavior
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is a disorder that is frequently diagnosed during…
The Elements of Competency to Stand Trial Standard for a Crime
In order to participate in criminal proceedings, a defendant must have a rational and factual appreciation…
Homicide: Manslaughter vs. Murder
Manslaughter and Murder. Both are forms of homicide. However, they are not the same. Both are…
Are People with a Mental Illness Dangerous?
Each time we have a mass shooting in the United States, a predictable conversation emerges. Like…
Are All Homeless People Mentally Ill?
There are over 600,000 homeless people in the United States. Approximately 138,000 of those individuals are…
What exactly is the DSM-5?
The DSM-5 is the go-to source for understanding, classifying, and explaining a variety of mental health…
Should Juveniles Arrested for Violent Crimes be Tried in Adult Court?
The problem of juvenile crime has plagued American society for decades. State legislatures, prosecutors, and other…
The Insanity Defense: A Get Out of Jail Free Card?
Most people have probably heard of the insanity defense, in which a person who has committed…
Criminal Behavior: Is it Nature or Nurture?
Is criminal behavior the result of one’s genetic makeup – the “Bad Seed” idea– or due…
Criminal Behavior: Is it Nature or Nurture? The Research Results
It’s important that you understand what the above statistics mean, and what they do not mean. …
Mentally Ill but Competent to Stand Trial
I received a phone call from a private defense attorney, Mr. Barr, asking me to interview…
What Does a Forensic Shrink Do Anyway?
For the most part, the defendants I examine have been accused of committing bad acts, like…
The Law’s View of Human Nature
The justice system is a gumbo of complex laws and regulations born out of centuries-old English…
Daimonic Human Nature
Freud called it the Id, that most elementary part of our make-up that is a cauldron…
Love Hurts
Human beings, both men and women, are aggressive. The male gender is especially violent. Worldwide, 90%…
The Delilah Complex: Why Men Kill Their Lovers
Contrary to popular perceptions, aggression is not a learned behavior: It’s an inborn potential and must…
Five Reasons Why Mothers Who Kill Their Babies
Two months after the birth of her first child, Lucy filled up the bathtub and submerged…
Is Free Will an Illusion?
As I explained in an earlier blog (The Law’s View of Human Nature), the entire structure…
Psychotherapy and Self Deception
Clinicians believe that increased self-awareness is synonymous with successful therapeutic outcome, and the reduction of self-deception…
Psychopathy and Aggression
INTRODUCTION By the summer of 1945 Hermann Goering, the creator of the Gestapo and of the…
Personality Disorders-Psychoanalytic and Cognitive Perspectives
Tam very excited about this issue. The POINT/ COUNTERPOINT format has begun with articles from our…
Neurotic Disorders
The twentieth witness steady accumulation of knowledge concerning the relationship between the brain and behaviour. The…
The Ego Revisited
This article reviews and critiques the ego concept. Except for the modern conflict theorists, most schools of…
The Neuropsychology of Morality
“A moral code can be thought of as the taxonomy of sanctioned actions and behavior. The…
The Ego Re-Revisited
G. Frank (2007) maintained that if psychoanalysts are to renew their interest in an archaic concept like…
Modern Ego Psychology
The ego psychological approach to understanding mental life has evolved considerably since Freud created the discipline…
In Criminal Justice, Like Real Estate, Location Matters
Ray is a 25-year-old transplant from Oregon, moved to southern California in search of sunshine and…
I love You to Death: Intimacy, Pathologic Attachments and the Evaluation of Violence Potential
Psychologists are frequently called upon to evaluate individuals who threaten violence toward intimates.
Against Cruelty: Presented at the Psychology of the Other Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, 2013
In his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (1963), Martin Luther King wrote, “A just law is…
Neurotic Disorders
“Neurosis” is a general term used to describe various forms of mental disorders that involve symptoms…
The Illusion of the Other: Self Object Psychopathology in Masochism
Masochism has broadly been defined as the enjoyment of suffering or a tendency to seek opportunity…