The present study explored whether a risk/needs perspective could assist in
understanding the construct of criminal psychopathy as assessed by the Psy
chopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Three hundred and twenty-one inmates se
rving sentences for violent offenses were assessed on the PCL-R and adminis
tered a variety of psychometric measures relevant to criminal conduct. Usin
g a traditional PCL-R cutoff, 36 participants (11.2%) were designated as ps
ychopaths and 285 (88.8%) were designated as nonpsychopaths and compared on
various criminal conduct and psychometric variables. Results showed that p
sychopaths had significantly greater risk/needs areas than nonpsychopaths,
and this pattern remained when alternative diagnostic cutoffs were used. im
plications of the findings with respect to theory and practice are consider
ed.