Recent developments and future directions in understanding cognition and emotion in offenders: a commentary

Abstract

Some of the themes arising in this Special Issue are discussed and suggestions made as to future research and theoretical needs. It is noteworthy that increased academic and research attention is being focused on violent behaviour, balancing that devoted to sex offending. More sophisticated theoretical models are being developed, with an increasing recognition of the importance of situational factors, of the heterogeneity of offender groups and of the role of affective states as antecedents. Such developing knowledge needs to influence the future development of therapeutic and rehabilitation programmes.

Keywords:

• offending
• cognition
• empathy
• emotion
• future