Measure of Madness Inside the Disturbed and Disturbing Criminal Mind

"Fascinating . . . A forensic psychologist reveals the dark and powerful motives that challenge our justice system and opens up the troubling workings of the human mind." —Robert K. Tanenbaum, author of Capture

"Compelling . . . Dr. Cheryl Paradis offers a window into the world of a clinical psychologist who has made many assessments for the courts." —Katherine Ramsland, author of The Criminal Mind

"Eloquent . . . Anyone concerned with the relationship between deviance and mental illness will find this excellent book to be of great value." —Simon Baatz, author of For the Thrill of It: Leopold, Loeb and the Murder that Shocked Chicago

"Clearly written and comprehensive . . . Dr. Paradis skillfully leads the reader through the labyrinth of the psychotic criminal mind and the maze of the judicial system." —Barbara Kirwin, author of The Mad, the Bad, and the Innocent

"Insightful, remarkable . . . not to be missed if you want to understand the real-world dramas that underlie criminal justice." —Barbara Oakley, author of Evil Genes

"Informative, discussion-provoking . . . a much needed, intriguing collection of personal reflections as well as fascinating cases." —Thomas M. O'Rourke, Director of Forensic Psychiatry, Kings County Hospital Center

"Riveting . . . Cheryl Paradis shows us a world rarely seen and one full of mystery." —John Coston, author of To Kill and Kill Again and Sleep My Child Forever

"Lucid, intelligent, provocative . . . Cheryl Paradis is an articulate expert guide to the bizarre and routinely baffling world of irrational and aberrant crime." —Stephen G. Michaud, author of The Only Living Witness and Whisper of Fear

"A marvelous book . . . a masterpiece that not only beautifully describes the people she examines but, just as importantly, fills in the dialogues between herself and others and includes her own thoughts and feelings. This book stands out." —Daniel W. Schwartz, MD, Director (Ret.) of Forensic Psychiatry Service, Kings County Hospital

"Written with clarity, objectivity, and expertise . . . Cheryl Paradis draws you into the fascinating world of the forensic psychologist and into the minds and often disturbing motives of the defendants she has examined." —Robert H. Berger, MD, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine

"Chilling . . . The Measure of Madness is an insider's view of a world few of us really know. Dr. Paradis makes clear that the reality of criminal forensic psychology is far different—and far more fascinating—than that portrayed in TV and movies. Fans of 'CSI' and 'Law and Order' as well as criminal law practitioners will find this book hard to resist." —Robert Reuland, criminal defense attorney and author of Hollowpoint and Semiautomatic

"A down-to-earth, tell-all case book . . . an unvarnished insider's view into the fascinating world of forensic psychology and the minds of mentally ill criminal offenders. This book will be of interest not only to forensic specialists, but to all those who have ever thought of entering this vexing but richly rewarding profession or wondered what it might be like to take an intimate look at the criminally insane." —Sanford L. Drob, PhD, former Director of Psychological Assessment at Bellevue Hospital, New York

"Engaging, vivid, invaluable . . . a fascinating look at real-life case materials from the author's own practice as a forensic psychologist. The accounts of criminal defendants whose minds are on trial and the issues that Paradis must determine in making her evaluations make this book a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of psychology and criminal law." —Patricia E. Erickson, JD, PhD, coauthor of Crime, Punishment, and Mental Illness: Law and the Behavioral Sciences in Conflict

"The criminal justice system fascinates most of us but too often the violencee seems incomprehensible. Cheryl Paradis' intriguing account of a number of her cases from the viewpoint of a forensic psychologist is informative and provides an inside look at crime and mental illness, something we all need to know a lot more about." —Leslie Crocker Snyder, former New York state Supreme Court Judge, author of 25 to Life