#CrimePrevention

In a revelation that has ignited international discussion, new research highlights alarming gaps in the brains of individuals displaying psychopathic traits, offering fresh neurological explanations for their chilling behaviors. The findings, which delve deep into the neurological underpinnings of psychopathy, provide unprecedented evidence of structural “voids” in regions key to emotion and empathy. For Thailand, a society balancing traditional values with modern criminal justice challenges, these insights shed crucial light on contentious debates about mental health, crime prevention, and rehabilitation.

A groundbreaking blend of cognitive behavioral therapy and intensive mentorship is producing significant reductions in youth violence and arrests in Chicago, suggesting a model with broad potential for communities, including those in Thailand, facing similar challenges. The program, Choose to Change, is making headlines for its nuanced method of reaching at-risk teens—particularly those disengaged from traditional support systems—and its approach could offer essential lessons for Thai educators, mental health professionals, and policymakers grappling with rising concerns about youth well-being (The Marshall Project).

Chicago’s rapidly evolving approach to youth violence prevention—combining cognitive behavioral therapy with intensive mentoring—has shown remarkable success in reducing arrests and reshaping young lives, according to recent findings that are capturing international attention. A pioneering programme called “Choose to Change,” developed on the city’s West Side, not only addresses some of the root causes of violence among at-risk youth, but offers hints at how similar blended approaches could one day help address chronic social issues in Thai communities facing rising rates of youth crime and trauma.