The article presents the results of a study of the characteristics of the emotional sphere of the first time convicts for violent crimes in comparison with those convicted for mercenary crimes. Violent criminals have increased aggressiveness, a high level of emotional excitability, an increased level of anxiety, a predominance of affective thinking, and a tendency to directly satisfy emerging desires and needs. These features are combined with a violation of their general normative regulation of behavior, a decrease in the level of intellectual and volitional control. In order to effectively provide psychological support to men convicted for the first time for violent crimes, the study summarizes the main theoretical approaches to studying the emotional sphere of personality, characteristics of violent criminals, and the specifics of serving sentences of convicts in places of deprivation of liberty. According to the results of the study, the reliability of the assumption was confirmed that convicts serving sentences for violent crimes have higher levels of anxiety, depression, and frustration than convicts serving sentences for mercenary crimes, therefore, they need psychological help and support.
convicts, emotional sphere, violent crimes, mercenary crimes, anxiety, depression, frustration, hypothymia
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