Sympathy for the Devil?

Having performed extensive personal research on psychopathy (sociopathy, anti-social disorder), I am convinced that there is at least some genetic predilection to psychopathy.  While no one knows for certain, it is probable that psychopathy is multifactorial.  Studies have demonstrated that approximately 20% of a psychopath's first-degree relatives are also anti-social.  There is also a high association with alcoholism in families of psychopaths.  Because the home life of families with anti-social parents is often dysfunctional, it is difficult to separate out the influence of inherited predisposition from the influence of a dysfunctional home.  There is a clear demonstrable tendency to alcoholism and/or illicit drug use in sociopathy.  As many as 75% of sociopaths have early and persistent dependency on alcohol, and up to 50% demonstrate abuse of other substances.  "This exacerbates other symptoms associated with ASP (anti-social personality disorder), often bringing out the worst in an individual's behavior" (Please read Bad Boys, Bad Men: Confronting Antisocial Personality Disorder. Donald W. Black, M.D., C. Lindon Larson. New York, Oxford University Press, 1999 for more information).

Understanding that, should I feel sympathy/ empathy for those afflicted by psychopathy?  After all, I am certainly able to feel sympathy for those suffering from inherited disorders such as cystic fibrosis and Lou Gehrig’s disease.  These individuals did not ask for, nor do they deserve to lead lives of pain and disability.  However, the important difference is that those people suffering from genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis do not consciously and willfully set out to hurt and destroy those who love them.  The psychopath is unable to do anything but.  The psychopath views those who care for him not as people to treat with love and respect, but only as a means to an end.  He will put on a convincing act around his alleged friends and loved ones, pretending to care, but when the usefulness of the relationship has waned (from his point of view) will seek new relationships that meet whatever needs he believes are currently being unmet.  But the psychopath will not terminate the current relationship without leaving a scar upon those he has left behind.  Their victims are left emotionally, and often physically and financially devastated in the wake of the psychopath.

In the aftermath of “Psychopath Adrian”, I am disinclined to feel any sympathy for these particular devils.  These individuals are in aggregate a pervasive societal problem, causing destruction to nearly all whom they encounter.  I do not have a solution.  Personally, I would like to see the psychopaths all sequestered together, much like lepers were housed together in leper colonies.  Then, the only people in their sick and manipulative paths would be other sociopaths.  Certainly there is some precedent, as people with other mental disorders who have proven themselves to be dangerous to themselves or society in general are institutionalized for the greater good of society.  I realize, however, this creates a slippery slope.  Who decides criteria for inclusion into the sociopath colony?  What is the margin of error, and what would happen if a non-sociopath was erroneously sequestered, an innocent person thrown in a pit of tigers?  I know that my view is extreme, but I believe other victims will at least understand, if not agree.    Perhaps public education will be enough.  Perhaps the more the general population knows about sociopathy, the better they will be able to avoid being targeted.  Sandra Brown's Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Donna Andersen's Love Fraud are great resources, but because psychopathy is so prevalent, more people need to be involved.  Forewarned is forearmed.