Explore how psychopathic traits in youth influence criminal behaviour, social interactions, and health outcomes over the life-course.

What becomes of young people who display strong psychopathy traits? By combining cutting-edge research with interviews from over 500 incarcerated youth assessed for psychopathy and involved in serious, violent offenses, this book investigates whether they are destined to persist in crime throughout their lives. Evan McCuish explores not only long-term offending patterns but also psychopathy's influence on relationships, employment, substance use, and mortality. Through this, the text clarifies the meaning of the clinical construct of psychopathy and debunks myths and misconceptions popularised by the true crime genre. This allows readers to more reliably interpret the accuracy of popular culture descriptions of psychopathy. Synthesising over 100 years of research, this book defines psychopathy and contributes new knowledge to the field. It is ideal for students, scholars, and practitioners in psychology, criminology, social work, and law seeking further insight into this intriguing disorder.