Psychopathy vs. Sociopathy: Interview with Expert Dr. Joseph A. Toomey

Y’all. Today is the day we’ve all waited for... We get to interview the real-life sorting hat himself, Dr. Joseph ‘Jay’ Toomey. Come hang with us as we discuss forensic evaluations, primarily criminal evaluations, and as we try to understand what a psychopath actually is. Is there a difference between a psychopath and a sociopath? And how does one become diagnosed, clinically speaking, as a psychopath? Dr. Toomey shares his vast experiences as the person who evaluates these individuals to better understand their needs as well as determine if they are a risk for society.

About our Guest:

Dr. Joseph Toomey is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, a Designated Forensic Psychologist, an Associate Professor and Associate Chair for the Clinical Psychology Department at William James College (WJC), and the director of academic forensic programs at WJC. He has experience working in a variety of criminal justice settings including county jails, secure forensic psychiatric inpatient units, federal prison, facilities designated for the commitment of sexually dangerous persons, and state correctional facilities.

Dr. Toomey also has extensive experience in teaching college courses in psychology and criminal justice, with a specialization in clinical forensic psychology. He has served as the coordinator for training in Suicide Prevention for all Massachusetts Department of Correction staff including corrections officers, administrators, medical professionals, and mental health professionals. Dr. Toomey provides direct training to staff and also trains mental health staff to administer similar trainings across the state. He has published scientific articles related to identifying feigned mental illness, and psychopathic personality, and has presented research at numerous national and international conferences.

As a Designated Forensic Psychologist, Dr. Toomey completes court ordered forensic evaluations Commonwealth of Massachusetts. These evaluations include assessments of abilities related to competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility (insanity), violence risk assessment, and need for care and treatment. Within this role, he is also a specialty violence risk consultant for the Department of Mental Health.

 

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​​Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen. Editing/Production for the podcast by Bltzwolff (bltzwolff@gmail.com).

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