Much of the research about psychopaths had been conducted among prison populations. It’s probably necessary to find a “captive” audience for this research—psychopaths (or sociopaths, but I’ll call them psychopaths in this post) wouldn’t come in for testing and treatment voluntarily, because they don’t believe there is anything wrong with them.
Dr. Robert Hare estimates that psychopaths (the term he uses) make up 1 percent of the general population of North America, but almost 25 percent of the prison population.
Let’s turn these figures around. Sometime in October the population of the United States will reach 300 million people. If 1 percent of all these people are psychopaths, that means there are 3 million remorseless predators roaming the United States.
The U.S. has the highest prison population in the world. As of June, 2005, there were almost 2.2 million people behind bars in the U.S. If a quarter of them are psychopaths, that would mean 550,000 psychopaths are locked up.
Do the math. Three million psychopaths, 550,000 of them locked up. We can assume there are 2.45 million psychopaths on the loose in the United States.
Trail of destruction
From what I can see, every psychopath is capable of creating havoc in the lives of many other people. For example, I found evidence that at least 15 women were victimized, to different degrees, by my ex-husband, James Montgomery. This doesn’t count the companies that were suing him, businessmen he defrauded and countless women he contacted over the Internet who may have escaped.
Other people have written to Lovefraud describing the incredible trails of destruction left by the psychopaths who have crashed through their lives.
So let’s say every psychopath affects 15 victims. (I think that’s a low number—think of the con artists bilking senior citizens and the corporate psychopaths at Enron—but let’s not get out of hand.) That would mean 45 million people in the United States have had their lives disrupted by psychopaths.
With these kind of numbers, it’s amazing that there is so little awareness of this personality disorder.
That’s because these people are called criminals, con artists, pathological liars, deadbeats, philanderers, drug abusers, bullies, cheats, credit risks, rapists, murderers, thugs or run-of-the-mill jerks—which they are.
But the root of the problem is that they are psychopaths.
Bobbie
Scary!
In earlier centuries, anyone (even a very young person) who was considered to be anti-social was quickly and severely dealt with e.g. sent as a convict to the colonies, hung (for what we now consider minor offences), or was imprisoned for long periods. The result of this was that many of them never had a chance to re-offend – or to create offspring.
With our current system, they are allowed to continue wreaking havoc – and to re-produce. If psychopathy has any genetic foundation, it is logical to assume that their numbers will increase.
gr8ful70x7
According to Martha Stout (2004) one out of every 25 of us is a sociopath and 20% of those incarcerated are sociopaths.
peggmoor
They are everywhere
So glad there is a site to expose them
If you Identify one RUN!!!
Here is one still on the street still offending he is also a pedophile he preys on single women of means with small children
sosueme
Following Bobbie’s comment, I was involved with a sociopath who indeed has an offspring (a 14-year-old son) who is his mini-me. This boy is so repellant to be around because I know he is just like his offending father who raises him as a single dad and is the only authority/influence in his life so I know for sure he will be a full-blown sociopath like his father when he reaches maturity/adulthood. The school he attends treats him for being a bully, poor student, wants him to attend counseling, blah blah blah but I know the authorities just don’t get he is just manipulating them in his immature state of being a sociopath. Ahhhh, run for cover … they ARE multiplying. God Bless everyone on this site. Sue
will be okay
This is so true!! I did not know about socialized/ subcriminal psychopaths, so never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that my ‘perfect’ paramedic boyfriend was one!! Until Dr. jeckell (for a year and a half) turned into a Mr. Hyde more evil than anyone I’d ever known. It’s still hard for me to believe he was able to keep his true personality hidden. It is still hidden as most people think he’s such a ‘nice’ guy! I wish more daytime talk shows and magazines would do stories on this. If I had known how prevalent it is and the warning signs- I definetly would have seen it in him!! He is textbook!! And his nearly 5 year old son is absolutely OUT OF CONTROL!!! Almost unbearable to be around. Temper tantums constantly, screaming, hitting his dad and other kids at daycare, no discipline. Infact my ex used to get annoyed with me if I said anything about it. My ex’s father is incredibly arrogant & condescending- I think theres 3 generations of sociopaths in this family.
one/joy_step_at_a_time
Sad news… the fraud case another dupe of the spath i tangled with was recently dismissed.
but, warrior that she is, with a good lawyer, will try again.
i am getting tired of not saying who the spath is. she’s known.
i just don’t want her to know i know.
Stargazer
This must be so disappointing. Sometimes life is just so unfair. For what it’s worth, I’m reading your posts and think you are really doing great with the grieving process.
one/joy_step_at_a_time
thanks star.
this woman may get her yet. i can only hope. and i have offered to help. i have talked to her lawyer and the AG of her state.
Stargazer
I personally know how satisfying it is to nail a sociopath because I got to nail mine. If you’re ever thinking about dating a sociopath, date one who’s in the army because the army has a zero tolerance policy for any of that crap–fraud, adultery, etc. But I have a feeling that whether yours gets convicted or not, you will be okay.
one/joy_step_at_a_time
Star – i have had horrid allergies all day and just now lay down to rest. the last couple of days, things have been purcolating. cooking inside me.
….I lept out of bed. that’s it. I’m done. I out the bitch. finished. no more.
things are going to get a little hotter for a while.