Few individuals are of greater concern to the criminal justice system than psychopaths. Such people are also sometimes known as sociopaths—a term introduced by American psychiatrist G. E. Partridge in 1930. Some authorities differentiate between sociopathy and psychopathy arguing that sociopathy develops due to one's environment or upbringing and that psychopathy is genetic in origin. However, the terms are often used interchangeably.

Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2022. 2p.