Overview

Written from a never-before-seen perspective, a real-life Mindhunter’s provocative true crime memoir takes readers inside the prison interview room—and the minds—of serious sex offenders, as she assesses the fates of those charged with the most disturbing acts imaginable. Once inside the prison system, how can a pathological, sexual sadist who needs to be confined to a mental institution, be distinguished from the perpetrator of a sexual crime who is unlikely to ever transgress again? And who can say? Working under California's Sexually Violent Predator Law, Samantha Stein, PsyD, faces such offenders alone, one by one, in a prison interview room. As a forensic psychologist, her high-stakes decisions can determine the difference between a life lived back in society or one condemned to indefinite incarceration. For Dr. Stein, despite the science she relies on, it’s a profound responsibility that comes with a prayer: “Please don’t let me have been wrong.” Confronting evil, yet never approaching an evaluation with damning preconceptions, Dr. Stein opens her mind to her subjects’ life stories—their crimes, their grim pathologies, their frustrations and demons, their childhoods, their sociopathic reasoning, and often, too, their genuine and civilized regret. She doesn’t hesitate to hold them accountable, but she acknowledges their humanity. She studies the face, eyes, posture, and the lies, yet admits that predicting human behavior can be dicey. Part forensics, part exploration of human nature, Evil at Our Table is the first in-depth account by a treatment provider and evaluator in the field. Here, Dr. Stein not only reveals the details of specific cases—and the outcomes—but also delves into the sometimes-overwhelming impact on her personal life.  Told with empathy, uncompromising honesty, and insight from a unique and experienced perspective, in this important book, Dr. Stein investigates salient issues of our time: the intersection of good and evil, crime, punishment, law, and psychology, and our very humanity, as well as how to achieve a sane balance between community safety and civil liberties—all the while facing the monsters among us.

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9780806544359

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Reviews

Praise for Evil at our Table “Stein’s thoughtful narrative compassionately shares her experiences as a forensic psychologist....You may find yourself being challenged with a new understanding of the human condition.” —Sister Helen Prejean, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dead Man Walking “Stein's raw and propulsive writing will not let you stop reading…Some readers will change their minds about whether monsters are real. Some will not. But every single one, I think, by the end of this book, will never think of these offenders the same way again.” —David Dow, author of Autobiography of an Execution “In this gripping account, Samantha Stein, PsyD…exposes herself as she questions and grapples with the need for justice as well as punishment, and in the end presents us with one of the most disturbing yet deeply compassionate portraits in the field of criminal behavior.” —Jonathan Santlofer, author of the bestselling novels The Lost Van Gogh and The Last Mona Lisa “Stein hooked me with hard-won authenticity, equal parts emotional volatility and tenderness. This is a fascinating, won't-flinch story that keeps the pages flying by.” —Joshua Mohr, Author of Model Citizen

Author Information

Samantha Stein Psy.D. is a forensic psychologist who specialized in sex offender and addiction treatment, court-ordered evaluations, and court testimony for nearly 3 decades. The author of a popular PsychologyToday.com column with over 2.2 million reads, her writing has been published in numerous outlets, including Flaunt Magazine, The Awakenings Review, Anxy Magazine, and The Guardian. A frequent speaker and teacher, she has presented at numerous conferences. She is also an avid photographer whose work has been exhibited in several small shows and has sold to collectors and individuals. She lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area and can be found online at samantha-stein.com.

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