The result has been a sharp increase in theoretically meaningful and replicable research findings, both in applied settings and in the laboratory. The construct of psychopathy is proving to be particularly useful in the criminal justice system where it has important implications for sentencing, diversion, placement, and treatment options and for assessing risk of recidivism and violence. Even though the etiology of the predatory, cold-blooded nature of psychopathy remains obscure, theories and methods of cognitive neuroscience and behavioral genetics promise to greatly increase current understanding of the disorder in terms of its affective, interpersonal, and behavioral characteristics. The author projects that dramatic advances will be made in the future in the treatment of psychopaths, in large part due to increasing cross-cultural and interdisciplinary collaboration. For example, family and twin studies will combine with developmental investigations to provide the first solid data on the interactive roles of heredity and the environment, and neuroimaging and neurophysiological protocols will lead to new insights on brain structure and function and may set the stage for effective intervention programs. 100 references