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Webinar: The Future of Psychopathy: Scientific Debate, Clinical Utility, and Ethical Concerns


Webinar: The Future of Psychopathy: Scientific Debate, Clinical Utility, and Ethical Concerns

Psychopathy remains one of the most influential—and controversial—constructs in forensic psychology and criminal justice. In this 90-minute virtual dialogue, Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen and Martin Rettenberger will critically examine the scientific foundations, clinical utility, and ethical implications of modern psychopathy research and practice.

Drawing from his 2025 book Psychopathy Unmasked: The Rise and Fall of a Dangerous Diagnosis, Larsen will challenge longstanding assumptions about psychopathy, including claims regarding empathy deficits, dangerousness, treatment resistance, and the use of psychopathy assessments in legal decision-making. Rettenberger will provide a complementary perspective, highlighting the historical development of the construct, its contributions to violence risk assessment and treatment planning, and the importance of continued scientific refinement rather than abandonment of the concept

Prof. Dr. Martin Rettenberger 

Director of the Centre for Criminology
Centre for Criminology
Prof. Dr. Martin Rettenberger is the Director of the Centre for Criminology (Kriminologische Zentralstelle – KrimZ) in Wiesbaden, Germany, and is Professor at the Department of Psychology at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), Germany. Since 2025, he is President of the International Association for the Treatment of Sexual Offenders (IATSO) and chair of the section “Psychology and Law” of the German Society of Psychologie (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie – DGPs). He is editor-in-chief of the PsychOpen GOLD open access journal “Sexual Offending: Theories, Research, and Prevention” (SOTRAP) and editorial board member of various scientific journals. He has published more than 250 research articles, book chapter, and books about risk assessment, sexual and violent offending, and about several other aspects and topics in criminology and forensic psychology. As expert witness he is writing risk assessment and treatment planning reports for different courts and correctional and forensic facilities and serves regularly as a media expert for crime-related topics. 

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Rasmus Larsen 

Assistant Professor
Institute of Forensic Sciences - Department of Philosophy - University of Toronto Mississauga

Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen is Assistant Professor of Forensic Epistemology and Philosophy of Science at the University of Toronto Mississauga and Senior Scientist at the National Center for Ontological Research. His research has appeared in journals like The Lancet: Psychiatry; Psychology, Public Policy, and Law; and Philosophical Psychology. 


 

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$25.00
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