Psychological characteristics of adolescents with illegal behavior

The article discusses the psychological features and the relationship of illegal behavior of adolescents with psychopathic traits. The state of juvenile delinquency in Russia causes reasonable concern in society. The data of criminal statistics inexorably indicate the intensifi cation of illegal activities of minors. One of the key issues of the problem of juvenile delinquency is the characterization of the personality of a juvenile off ender. The analysis of personality characteristics makes it possible to understand what signs and properties a juvenile off ender diff ers from his lawabiding peer and, accordingly, some antisocial patterns of behavior can be detected up to the age of fi fteen. And this, in turn, opens the way for indepth understanding of which categories of adolescents have the greatest criminogenic potential or are more susceptible to negative infl uences than others. Currently, the most popular tools for identifying criminal psychopathy are the List of Psychopathic Traits of Robert D. Haer, Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, Doctor of Philosophy. This list is intended for use in law enforcement activities, in the activities of civil and judicial institutions, where it is useful to have information about possible psychopathic characteristics of people. It has been translated into sixteen languages and is distributed all over the world. And there was also developed a PPP for minors intended for screening, in order to identify psychopathic traits.