Robert Schug

Robert Schug is an American Forensic Psychologist specializing in Neurocriminology and Clinical Psychology. As an Associate Professor at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), he co-runs a Neuroscience Laboratory, focusing on research that integrates a biopsychosocial perspective into studies of Traumatic Brain Injury, criminal offenders, and mental illness. Dr. Schug has gained recognition for his work with violent offenders, particularly serial killers, and has collaborated with renowned psychologists like Dr. Adrian Raine. His contributions to the field include published empirical articles, books, and media appearances where he provides expert insight into violent crimes.

Education

Not much is known about the background of Schug's education other than the interviews he has participated in where he has stated what he has done in terms to his educational background and his current self biography on his page at the college he currently lectures at as a professor.

In a podcast called "Reducing Crime", Robert Schug talked about his education and his start in Forensic Psychology. He stated in this podcast interview that in 1990, prior to pursuing his Forensic Psychology career, he dropped out of Arizona State University after three and a half years into a full ride as a premed student to pursue a career as a rockstar. After leaving behind his rockstar dream to pursue the world of Forensic Psychology, Robert Schug enrolled and received his Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology at California State University at Los Angeles, CA. He said that his interest in wanting to study and interview serial killers peaked after watching “Silence of the Lambs” in 1991. After doing his own research, Schug knew that he would need to become a clinical psychologist in order to talk to serial killers.

In another article that interviewed Schug, he stated that after reading about a well renowned british clinical psychologist named Dr. Adrian Raine (who at the time was working at the University of Southern California (USC)) he went on to apply to the Ph.D. program in Neuroscience at the USC in hopes to work with Adrian Raine. By the time that Schug was admitted into the program, Raine had changed career paths from clinical to research. Schug stated that he joined Raine in the research track and has been co-authored with Dr. Raine in several publications. Shortly after receiving his Ph.D. in Clinical Neuroscience, Schug enrolled at Alliant International University in San Diego to pursue a doctoral respecialization in clinical psychology and obtained his license as a Clinical Psychologist.

Professional Career and Research

Robert Schug stated in an interview that when he was at California State University in LA obtaining his master's degree, he worked at Twin Towers Correctional Facility as a part of his practicum training experience which provided him with hands on experience working with incarcerated inmates.

Although it's unclear when he was hired as a professor for CSULB, Schug went on to saying in his interview that after obtaining his Ph.D., he went on to become a lecturer at CSULB while attending classes at Alliant International University for his doctoral respecialization in clinical psychology. He maintained a full-time internship, which was required for the completion for the certification, with a Forensic hospital in Norwalk called Metropolitan State Hospital and after this, he obtained a Clinical Psychologist license in the state of California.

Throughout the interviews, it's not stated at what time Schug decided to start his own research study at CSULB but he did state that he started a research project of his own at CSULB involving serial killers after obtaining his Clinical Psychologist license. In an interview, Schug stated that he would write letters to incarerated serial killers asking them to participate in his study and a few serial killers have written back, which Schug has hung up in his office at CSULB. In another article interviewing Schug, he said that he was focused on finding out the "why" of why the serial killers committed these crimes. Schug states in his self biography on the college website that he pioneered a unique biopsychosocial developmental timeline methodology and required him to travel to penitentiaries and prisons to interview these serial killers in order to track their lives including all the psychological and physical trauma experienced by the serial killer. The article states that the thought is to get a inside look into the killer's mind to see what the "tipping point" was that lead to the crime and that preventative methods could hopefully be ascertained using this methodology.

A year after this study launched,chug was placed on Los Angeles Superior Court's Approved Panel of Psychiatrists and Psychologists, which he still sits on, where he conducts court evaluations. In his self biography, he teaches at CSULB and he has a private practice where conducts assessments.

Along with his career, Schug currently co-directs a CSULB Neuroscience Laboratory, where he conducts research investigating the complex relationships between traumatic brain injury, mental health disorders, and criminal conduct. His research focuses on understanding criminal behavior and the basis in the brain for criminal behavior.

Publications

Robert A. Schug has contributed to the academic literature in his field. His research focuses on psychopathy, schizophrenia, and homicide offenders, with publications appearing in journals across psychiatry, psychology, criminal justice, and neuroscience. Schug has authored and co-authored book chapters in texts on forensic psychology, criminology, and neuroscience. Some of his works include:

• Schug co-authored a textbook with Henry F. Fradella called "Mental Illness and Crime" (Schug, R & Fradella, H, 2015): a textbook exploring the relationship between mental disorders and criminal conduct.
• "The neural correlates of moral decision-making in psychopathy" (Molecular Psychiatry, 2009): Co-authored with Glenn, Raine, et al., this study examined brain activity during moral decision-making in individuals with psychopathic traits.
• "The neurobiology of psychopathy: a neurodevelopmental perspective" (The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2009): Co-authored with Gao, Glenn, Yang, and Raine, this paper explored the neurodevelopmental aspects of psychopathy.

These publications reflect Schug's research interests and contributions to the understanding of mental illness, criminal behavior, and their neurobiological underpinnings.

Media Presence

Robert Schug has shared his expertise on various media platforms and true crime television shows, offering expert commentary and in-depth analysis on high-profile cases. His media appearances have included an analysis of the "Stockton Serial Killer" on KCRA, a Sacramento, California news station. Additionally, Schug provided insights on the potential connection between the "Gainesville Ripper" (Danny Rolling) and David Yeager's disappearance. In 2019, he appeared on the Dr. Phil show, where he offered his perspective on the famous Black Dahlia case. These appearances demonstrate Schug's ability to apply his academic knowledge to real-world criminal cases, bridging the gap between scholarly research and public understanding of complex criminal behavior.