Forensic psychologist Tine Wøbbe has spent two decades assessing psychopathy and violent offenders—now she's revealing what she's learned
Tine Wøbbe, Denmark's leading forensic psychologist, has built a career examining the minds of the country's most dangerous criminals. With over 20 years of specialized experience in psychopathy and forensic assessment, she now shares her insights through a groundbreaking new book co-authored with a forensic psychiatrist and journalist.
Tine Wøbbe occupies a rare position in Scandinavian criminal justice: she is one of the few people authorized to look directly into the minds of Denmark's most dangerous offenders and determine whether they are treatable or irredeemably dangerous.
As chief psychologist at Psykiatrisk Center Sct. Hans and an external lecturer at the University of Copenhagen, Wøbbe brings together clinical expertise and academic rigor in her assessments of violent criminals. Her credentials include specialist training in psychiatry, with advanced qualifications in psychopathology and psychotherapy. Over more than two decades, she has become Denmark's recognized authority on psychopathy and dyssocial personality disorder—fields where the stakes are as high as they come.
Wøbbe's work extends beyond the clinic. She conducts psychological evaluations that directly influence whether dangerous offenders serve time in prison or receive treatment. These assessments often involve administering specialized tests for psychopathy, comprehensive mental evaluations, and detailed interviews that probe the psychological roots of violent crime.
Now, Wøbbe is bringing this expertise to a wider audience through *Forbrydelsens Sind* (The Mind of Crime), a book co-authored with forensic psychiatrist Mette Brandt-Christensen and journalist Kristina Antivikas. Published in Danish in 2023, the book offers an unprecedented window into her professional world.
The work draws on interviews with eight convicted offenders—a murderer, serial rapist, stalker, gang member, bank robber, assailant, arsonist, and kidnapper. Rather than sensationalizing these cases, the authors examine how mental illness, personality pathology, and psychological dysfunction contribute to severe violent crime. The book details the assessment process itself: the psychological tools used, the decision-making that determines prison versus treatment, and the complex clinical judgments that Wøbbe and her colleagues must make.
