Emerging evidence suggests that the development and persistence of violent behaviors may be associated with specific physiological reactivities. However, the results are contradictory, as both biological over-activation and under-activation may be involved. For the present contribution, we will focus on two studies examining the dynamics of the two antagonistic autonomic nervous system activities, sympathetic (reactivity and arousal) and parasympathetic (inhibition and restoration), of an adult male population incarcerated for perpetrating interpersonal violence. Physiological activities were measured using electrocardiograms to estimate indices of heart-rate variability (HRV) at rest and during activity, while performing a task. In Study 1, we examined the association of at-rest-HRV estimates and self-reported psychosocial skills measuring empathy and impulsivity [1], and in Study 2, we examined the association of activity-HRV estimates and performance on an emotional inhibition task [2]. Our results showed that both self-reported measures and task performance do not discriminate the violent offenders from matched controls. However, significant differences were found between the two groups in their HRV activities. Our findings will be interpreted in relation to the different current psychobiological theories regarding the emergence of violent behavior, and discussed in terms of the potential that such physiological assessments could offer both in terms of prevention and in the evaluation of persistent violence.