The Stranger Beside Me

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Adrian Raine

In this book a pioneering neurocriminologist introduces the latest biological research into the causes of, and potential cures for, criminal behavior. As a leading criminologist who specializes in the neuroscience behind criminal behavior, the author introduces a wide range of new scientific research into the origins and nature of violence and criminal behavior. He explains how impairments to areas of the brain that control our ability to experience fear, make decisions, and feel empathy can make us more likely to engage in criminal behavior. He applies this new understanding of the criminal mind to some of the most well-known criminals in history. And he clearly delineates the pressing considerations this research demands: What are the causes of violence? Can it be treated? And might it one day be stopped? Are some criminals born, not made? What causes violence and how can we treat it? This book introduces new ways of looking at these age-old questions. Drawing on the latest scientific research, the author explains what it reveals about the brains of murderers, psychopaths and serial killers. While once it was thought upbringing explained all, and subsequently explanations shifted to genetics, he goes to great pains to explain that anti-social behaviour is complex, and based on the interaction between genetics and the biological and social environment in which a person is raised. But the latest statistical evidence between certain types of biological and early behavioural warning signs is also very strong. Through a series of case studies of famous criminals, he shows how their criminal behaviour might be explained on the basis of these new scientific discoveries. But the conclusions point to a host of philosophical and moral issues. What are the implications for our criminal justice system? Should we condemn and punish individuals who have little or no control over their behaviour? Should we act preemptively with people who exhibit strong biological predispositions to becoming dangerous criminals? These are among the thorny issues we can no longer ignore as our understanding of criminal behaviour grows.

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John Douglas, Mark Olshaker

During his twenty-five-year career with the FBI, Special Agent John Douglas became a legendary figure in law enforcement, pursuing some of the most notorious serial killers of our time. Douglas interviewed killers like Charles Manson and Ed Kemper to establish the foundations of criminal behavioral profiling.

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Truman Capote

On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues. Truman Capote reconstructs the crime and the trial.

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Helen Sun

""Helen Sun details the meticulous methods used by the Chinese Communist Party to monitor China's Internet communication, particularly at Internet bars. At the same time, she also vividly describes the political energy and democratic discourse unleashed by the Internet, primarily among the younger generation. Internet Policy in China provides a vivid picture of momentous political and social changes under way in China today."--Merle Goldman, emerita, Boston University and research associate at Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Harvard University" ""A superb book that achieves its rich analysis of today's Chinese Internet cafes, politics, and policy by reaching deeply through state treatment of information, communication, and culture throughout its history. A necessary primer for understanding contemporary Chinese Internet developments."--Sandra Branan, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee" "Internet Policy in China: A Field Study of Internet Cafes examines the forces that have nurtured and frustrated the creation of an e-public sphere in China. In conjunction with this examination. Helen Sun considers the broader issue of the Internet's true nature: is it inherently decentralizing and democratic, or is it all too dependent on the larger political environment? After describing the Chinese media policymaking and regulatory system, Sun undertakes a revealing study of the country's Internet cafes, enriched by interviews with cafe operators--both legal and illegal--and visitors. The insights provided in these interviews paint a fascinating picture of the ever-changing game of China's Internet censorship."--Jacket.