Healing The Criminal Mind

Our world is full of criminals. In the psychiatric DSM IV manual, the criminal falls under the mental illness category "personality disorder" variously labeled as psychopathy, sociopathy, or anti-social personality. But I don't believe any pill or drug can cure a criminal. A criminal is psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually ill. He/she lies to himself/ herself, and he/she believes his/her own lies (unable to recognize truth). He/she dehumanizes and demonizes his/her victims. Outside of divine intervention, a hard-hearted criminal might never reform. Only the Gospel can truly renew the heart of a criminal and give him/her the mind of Christ. Long though the process may be, Christian psychotherapy, counseling, and rehabilitation could bring back the flicker of goodness in the soul of a criminal.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2).