The role of criminal cognitions and personality traits in non‐violent recidivism: an empirical investigation within a prison sample (original) (raw)
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Personality-related determinants of criminal recidivism
The goal of this study was to explore personality-related determinants of recidivism, with recidivism being defined as a) the number of lawful sentences a person had (criminallegal recidivism), and b) the number of prison sentences pronounced (penal recidivism). The study was carried out in two independent samples: a) convicts from the Correctional Institution of Belgrade – Penitentiary of Padinska Skela (N=113), and b) convicts from the Special Prison Hospital in Belgrade (N =112). The variables of the Five-Factor Model of Personality (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness) were measured, together with two additional basic personality traits: Disintegration (a broad dimension of psychosis-proneness), and Amorality (three factors representing a disposition to amoral forms of behavior). In addition, psychopathy (Manipulative and Antisocial tendencies) – a psychological entity expected to most successfully predict criminal recidivism – was measured as well. The efficiency of prediction of the two criteria of recidivism was assessed separately in each of those two samples. The results revealed differences in the orchestration of predictors depending on the kind of recidivism as the criterion and the severity of offense. The most important predictors of both forms of recidivism in the sample of convicts with lower intensity of criminal behavior were psychopathic traits. However, in the sample of convicts with higher intensity and variety of criminal behavior, the most important predictors of the number of sentences were Antisociality and Amorality Induced by Frustration, while the most important predictors of the number of prison sanctions were Amorality Induced by Brutality and Disintegration.
Deviant Behavior, 2013
Previous studies within criminal population have indicated a significant relationship between personality traits and criminal thinking style. However, none of the empirical research has adequately addressed selection bias in cross-sectional data investigating criminal thinking style. The current study investigates the impact of personality traits (Eysenck's model) on criminal thinking style using propensity score matching methodology. The research is based on 133 violent and 179 nonviolent male recidivistic prisoners incarcerated in high-security prison. A post-matching multiple regression model explained 49% of variance in the criminal thinking style indicating five significant predictors: psychoticism, extraversion, neuroticism, associations with criminal friends, and criminal identity. Our results suggest for the first time that personality traits predict the ways of thinking that are characteristic of persistent criminals and that individual differences in these psychological traits can have profound effects on an individual who operates within an environment dominated by criminal others. Further implications in relation to theory and previous studies are discussed. and self-related cognitions that encourage criminal behavior. Similarly, Mills and colleagues (2004) reported that the normative influence of criminal friends interacts with criminal thinking, and importantly, when these variables are strongly associated, the relationship to criminality is especially strong (see also . Additionally, a prison-based study by found that individuals who enter prison with a low level of criminal attitudes, tend to acquire more deviant attitudes while serving their sentence as a consequence of the persistent contact with criminal others. These investigations provide strong empirical evidence regarding the role of social and contextual variables as they relate to criminal behavior; however, very little empirical research work has been undertaken to determine the role of psychological factors such as one's personality, or identity in the prediction of habitual thinking style.
Offender Recidivism as A Function of Criminal Thinking Style and Criminogenic Needs
International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews
The present investigation explored representative variables of criminal attitude and psychopathy, to analyze offender recidivism as a function of criminogenic needs which include dynamic risk variables connected to criminal behavior, and criminal thinking style, which refers to cognitive tendencies behind the criminal mentality. Method: Sample of 124 inmates was selected through purposive-maximum variation sampling. They completed Ohio Risk Assessment System-CST, TCU-Criminal thinking Scale, Levenson Self Report Psychopathy Scale, Criminal Sentiments Scales-M in addition to a preliminary form to gather demographic details and criminal history. Result: The collected data were analyzed using stepwise Multiple Regression model to reveal that Criminal Rationalization thinking style appeared as the strongest predictor for criminal attitude while Entitlement, Power Orientation, Justification and Cold heartedness criminal thinking style appeared as the strongest predictors for psychopathy. Criminogenic needs variable was eliminated from both the regression models, as a predictor for psychopathy and criminal attitude respectively. Conclusion: Overall, the study emphasizes the importance of comprehensive interventions that address these factors to successfully reduce recidivism rates and support the reintegration of offenders into society.
The Irish Journal of Psychology, 2013
The aim of current research was to investigate the role of prisonization, personality traits, and criminal social identity in predicting violent offending within a sample of recidivistic inmates from high security prison. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that a higher frequency of imprisonments, higher levels of extraversion, higher levels of cognitive centrality and lower levels of in-group affect all predict a greater probability of committing a violent criminal act. These results provide a substantial contribution to the criminal psychology literature by further elucidating the intricate role of extraversion in the understanding of criminal behaviour, empirically demonstrating the importance of criminal social identity in the prediction of violent criminal behaviour, and providing additional support for the possible role of prisonization effects in the emergence of violent criminal behaviour.
2019
Background: Personality disorders may negatively impact on behaviour and attitudes. It is regarded as one of the most common disorders associated with crime. The need to understand the concept of personality disorders as it relates to homicide and non-homicide offending cannot be over-emphasized. The knowledge will help to improve correctional services in low and middle income countries Objectives: Study aimed at comparing the difference between personality disorders and sociodemographic characteristics of homicide and non-homicide offenders. Methods: A case-control study design was employed with 102 male participants in each group of homicide and non-homicide offenders respectively. Each participant was interviewed using a questionnaire for ascertaining socio-demographic characteristics while their personality profile was assessed using Faschingbauer's Abbreviated Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (FAM). Results: It showed varying patterns of personality disorders wit...
Criminal cognitions and personality: the PICTS
Introduction The Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) is a measure of the criminal cognitions and thinking styles that maintain offending. The scale comprises 8 a priori thinking styles and two validation scales, the validation scales having been found to be unreliable. Owing to the large amount of apparently shared variance in the original validation study, this data matrix needs re-analysis. Results from the PICTS were examined in relation to general measures of individual differences, in order to link the PICTS to the broader literature on the characteristics of offenders. Method The original PICTS data-matrix was re-analysed using a more parsimonious method of analysis. The PICYS was also given to 54 detained, mentally disordered offenders along with the NEO-Five Factor Inventory, the Sensation-Seeking Scale (SSS), the Attention Deficit Scales for Adults (ADSA) and, as a measure of general intelligence, the Standard Progressive Matrices. Results Principal components analysis suggested that the PICTS really comprised two factors: a lack of thoughtfulness (i.e. lack of attention to one's experience), and wilful hostility, with the first factor being most well defined. Intelligence was not associated with any factor of criminal thinking style. High scores on the ADSA and Disinhibition and Boredom Susceptibility subscales of the SSS were associated with much greater endorsement of criminal sentiments; high Neuroticism, low Extroversion, and low Agreeableness were slightly lower correlates. Discussion The issues involved in criminogenic cognitions need clarification and to be linked to the broader literature on cognitive distortions and personality. Interventions targeted at dismantling impulsive destructive behaviour, whether it be thoughtlessness or wilful hostility, may be effected by increasing thinking skills, so breaking down the cognitions that maintain criminal behaviou
The relationship between status variables and criminal thinking in an offender population
Psychological Services, 2010
The authors examined the relationship between criminal thinking factors of control, cognitive immaturity, and egocentrism, and offender characteristics (i.e., age, education, sentence length, time served, reception of mental health services) in 435 adult male offenders. Results of a canonical correlation analysis identified 1 significant and meaningful relationship between a criminal thinking set containing all 3 factors and an offender characteristic set containing all characteristics except for age. Higher levels of criminal thinking on all 3 factors were associated with more education, longer sentence length, more time served, and lack of reception of mental health services. Implications for providing treatment with offenders that targets reducing criminal recidivism and future directions for investigation into the relationship between dynamic recidivism risk factors and offender characteristics are discussed.
Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 2013
Previous research suggests a direct relationship between criminal friends and criminal thinking style; however, social identity theory proposes that identity mediates the impact of social group members on development of thinking styles. This research project is the first attempt to empirically test the mediating role of criminal social identity in the development of criminal thinking styles within a recidivistic prison sample . The structural equation model of criminal thinking style presented and tested in this study supports the central predictions of social identity theory, with findings demonstrating an indirect effect of antisocial friend associations on criminal thinking through in-group affect and in-group ties with criminal in-group members that reflect two of three dimensions of the measure of criminal social identity applied in the current study. Further implications in relation to theory and previous studies are discussed.