scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Book

The Psychology of Criminal Conduct

01 Jan 1994-
TL;DR: For instance, the authors investigates the relationship between the beginning and maintenance of criminal activity and diverse risk predictors (singular and social, static and dynamic) in the development of criminal behaviour.
Abstract: Throughout the last decades the so-called Psychology of criminal conduct, which agglutinates scientific knowledge surrounding criminal phenomena, has been taking shape. We can find among the principal fields of interests an explanation for antisocial behaviour where learning theories, analyses of individual characteristics, strain-agression hypotheses, studies on social vinculation and crime, and the analyses of criminal careers are relevant. This last sector, also denominated ‘developmental criminology’, investigates the relationship between the beginning and maintenance of criminal activity and diverse risk predictors (singular and social, static and dynamic). Their results have had great relevance in the creation of crime prevention and treatment programs. Psychological treatments of offenders are aimed at the modification of those risk factors, known as ‘criminogenic needs’, which are considered to be directly related to their criminal activity. In particular, treatment programs attempt to provide criminals (whether juveniles, abusers, sexual aggressors, etc.) with new repertoires of prosocial behaviour, develop their thinking, regulate their choleric emotions, and prevent relapses or recidivisms in crime. Lastly, nowadays the Psychology of criminal conduct places special emphasis on the prediction and management of the risk for violent and antisocial behaviour, a field which will be addressed in a subsequent paper of this same monograph.
Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper examined the correspondence of six measures of denial and response styles with the level of admittance of offense among child molesters and rapists, and found that child molters incorporated more impression management and denial tactics than rapists.
Abstract: The present study examined the correspondence of six measures of denial and response styles with the level of admittance of offense among child molesters (n = 49) and rapists (n = 49). Comparison of child molesters with rapists showed that child molesters incorporated more impression management and denial tactics. There were no differences between partial admitters and nonadmitters for both groups on self-report measures. Differences occurred between admitters and nonadmitters for the rapists, but not for the child molesters. The results have implications for treatment and utilization of self-report with sex offenders.

43 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal male sex offenders on items and total scores of the original and revised Static-99 and Static-2002 scales.
Abstract: On s'interroge serieusement la mesure dans laquelle les outils concus pour evaluer le risque de recidive sont egalement valide pour les delinquants autochtones et non autochtones. L'etude actuelle a compare des delinquants sexuels mâles autochtones et non autochtones quant aux items et aux notes totales accordees selon les echelles initiales et revisees Static-99 et Static-2002. L'etude comportait cinq echantillons canadiens independants avec des notes Static-99 et Static-99R (319 autochtones et 1 269 non autochtones), dont trois avaient aussi des notes Static-2002 et Static-2002R (209 autochtones et 955 non autochtones). Les delinquants sexuels autochtones ont souvent affiche une note substantiellement plus elevee que les delinquants sexuels non autochtones en ce qui a trait aux notes totales et aux items portant sur la criminalite en general, et avaient tendance a afficher une note plus faible pour les items portant sur la deviance sexuelle. Les items et les notes totales de Static-99/R evaluaient le risque de recidive sexuelle avec une precision similaire pour les delinquants sexuels autochtones et non autochtones. Par contre, nous avons trouve des differences importantes en ce qui a trait aux notes totales de Static-2002/R et a plusieurs de ses items, l'evaluation des risques etant moins precise que pour les autochtones. Ces resultats suggerent qu'au moins certains items des echelles Static ne sont pas aussi precis pour les delinquants sexuels autochtones que pour les delinquants sexuels non autochtones, les differences etant constatees dans Static-2002/R plutot que dans Static-99/R. Abstract: There is much concern about the extent to which risk assessment tools designed to predict recidivism are equally valid for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal offenders. The current study compared Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal male sex offenders on items and total scores of the original and revised Static-99 and Static-2002 scales. The study included five independent Canadian samples with Static-99 and Static-99R scores (319 Aboriginals and 1,269 non-Aboriginals), three of which also had Static-2002 and Static-2002R scores (209 Aboriginals and 955 non-Aboriginals). Aboriginal sex offenders scored significantly higher than non-Aboriginal sex offenders on total scores and items indicative of general criminality and tended to score lower on items indicative of sexual deviancy. Static-99/R total scores and items generally predicted sexual recidivism with similar accuracy for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal sex offenders. In contrast, significant differences were found for Static-2002/R total scores and several of their items, with lower predictive accuracy for Aboriginals. The results suggest that at least some items of the Static scales are not as predictive for Aboriginal as for non-Aboriginal sex offenders, with differences found on Static-2002/R rather than Static-99/R scales.

43 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is argued that sexual offending should cease treating sexual offending as a problem best dealt with by psychology, medicine, or law and that harm can be minimised through the use of a public health approach.
Abstract: This paper argues that we should cease treating sexual offending as a problem best dealt with by psychology, medicine, or law. Sexual offending, like mental illness, alcoholism, or drug addiction, is a public health problem, one that is everyone's business. The paper first considers the traditional levels of prevention in public health: primary, secondary, and tertiary. The argument is made that most of our efforts have been directed to the tertiary level where they are least likely to be effective. Applications of the general public health model to sexual violence are considered. These include epidemiology, risk factor research, program evaluation, and dissemination of information on what works. Various methods for informing and educating the public about sexual violence are proposed. The paper concludes with suggestions on how harm can be minimised through the use of a public health approach.

43 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors assess whether antisocial cognition is capable of mediating the well-documented relationship between past and future criminality, and they find that it partially mediates the relationship between delinquency at wave 2 and criminality at wave 4.

43 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This research assessed effectiveness of prison-based cognitive skills programmes for young offenders in England and Wales, using reconviction as the outcome measure.
Abstract: This research assessed effectiveness of prison-based cognitive skills programmes for young offenders in England and Wales, using reconviction as the outcome measure. Reconviction rates were compared between offenders who started a programme (N= 1,534) and a matched comparison group who did not (N= 1,534). Programme participation did not lead to a statistically significant reduction in reconviction, at one- or two-years following discharge. However, when offenders who dropped out of a programme and their matched comparisons were excluded from analysis, the one-year reconviction rate for programme completers was statistically significantly lower (p <0.05).

43 citations

References
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is suggested that delinquency conceals 2 distinct categories of individuals, each with a unique natural history and etiology: a small group engages in antisocial behavior of 1 sort or another at every life stage, whereas a larger group is antisocial only during adolescence.
Abstract: This chapter suggests that delinquency conceals two distinct categories of individuals, each with a unique natural history and etiology: A small group engages in antisocial behavior of one sort or another at every life stage, whereas a larger group is antisocial only during adolescence. According to the theory of life-course-persistent antisocial behavior, children's neuropsychological problems interact cumulatively with their criminogenic environments across development, culminating m a pathological personality. According to the theory of adolescence-limited antisocial behavior, a contemporary maturity gap encourages teens to mimic antisocial behavior in ways that are normative and adjustive. There are marked individual differences in the stability of antisocial behavior. The chapter reviews the mysterious relationship between age and antisocial behavior. Some youths who refrain from antisocial behavior may, for some reason, not sense the maturity gap and therefore lack the hypothesized motivation for experimenting with crime.

9,425 citations

BookDOI
28 Jul 2017
TL;DR: In Causes of Delinquency, Hirschi attempts to state and test a theory of delinquency, seeing in the delinquent a person relatively free of the intimate attachments, the aspirations, and the moral beliefs that bind most people to a life within the law.
Abstract: In Causes of Delinquency, Hirschi attempts to state and test a theory of delinquency, seeing in the delinquent a person relatively free of the intimate attachments, the aspirations, and the moral beliefs that bind most people to a life within the law. In prominent alternative theories, the delinquent appears either as a frustrated striver forced into delinquency by his acceptance of the goals common to us all, or as an innocent foreigner attempting to obey the rules of a society that is not in position to make the law or define conduct as good or evil. Hirschi analyzes a large body of data on delinquency collected in Western Contra Costa County, California, contrasting throughout the assumptions of the strain, control, and cultural deviance theories. He outlines the assumptions of these theories and discusses the logical and empirical difficulties attributed to each of them. Then draws from sources an outline of social control theory, the theory that informs the subsequent analysis and which is advocated here. Often listed as a "Citation Classic," Causes of Delinquency retains its force and cogency with age. It is an important volume and a necessary addition to the libraries of sociologists, criminologists, scholars and students in the area of delinquency.

3,690 citations

Book
01 Jan 2005
TL;DR: Haug, Sorensen, Gruber, Song, Relapse Prevention for Opioid Dependence, and Wheeler, George, Stoner, Enhancing the Relapse prevention model for Sex Offenders: Adding Recidivism Risk Reduction Therapy to Target Offenders' Dynamic Risk Needs.
Abstract: Marlatt, Witkiewitz, Relapse Prevention for Alcohol and Drug Problems. Blume, de la Cruz, Relapse Prevention among Diverse Populations. Kadden, Cooney, Treating Alcohol Problems. Shiffman, Kassel, Gwaltney, McChargue, Relapse Prevention for Smoking. Carroll, Rawson, Relapse Prevention for Stimulant Dependence. Haug, Sorensen, Gruber, Song, Relapse Prevention for Opioid Dependence. Roffman, Stephens, Relapse Prevention for Cannabis Abuse and Dependence. Kilmer, Cronce, Palmer, Relapse Prevention for Abuse of Club Drugs, Hallucinogens, Inhalants, and Steroids. Collins, Relapse Prevention for Eating Disorders and Obesity. Shaffer, LaPlante, Treatment of Gambling Disorders. Wheeler, George, Stoner, Enhancing the Relapse Prevention Model for Sex Offenders: Adding Recidivism Risk Reduction Therapy to Target Offenders' Dynamic Risk Needs. Zawacki, Stoner, George, Relapse Prevention for Sexually Risky Behaviors.

2,866 citations

BookDOI
01 Jan 1989
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a theory of criminality, heredity, and environment for criminality and apply it to the problem of illegal behavior in the United States.
Abstract: 1. Introduction.- 2. The Constitutional Theory of Criminality.- 3. Crime and Personality.- 4. Criminality, Heredity, and Environment.- 5. A Biological Theory of Criminality.- 6. The Function and Effectiveness of Sentencing.- 7. The Prevention and Treatment of Illegal Behavior.- 8. Sexual Deviations.- 9. Summary and Conclusions.- References.

404 citations

Book
27 Apr 1993
TL;DR: The Measurement and Distribution of Crime, Criminology, and Psychology as mentioned in this paper The Measurement of and distribution of crime, crime, and mental health disorders, and the effectiveness and ethics of intervention with offenders.
Abstract: Crime, Criminology, and Psychology. The Measurement and Distribution of Crime. Classification of Offenders. Social and Environmental Theories of Crime. Individually Oriented and Integrated Theories of Crime. Biological Correlates of Antisocial Behavior. Familial and Social Correlates of Crime. Personal Attributes of Offenders. Aggression and Violent Crime. Crime and Mental Disorder. Sexual Deviation and Sexual Offending. Forensic Psychology and the Offender. Psychological Interventions with Offenders. Treatment of Dangerous Offenders. The Effectiveness and Ethics of Intervention. References. Index.

373 citations