Assessing Criminal Thinking: Attitudes and Orientations Influence Behavior

• NCJ Number: 176892
• Journal: Corrections Today Volume: 61 Issue: 1 Dated: February 1999 Pages: 22-25
• Author(s): A M Holsinger
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

After reviewing research showing that a person's attitudes and orientations correlate highly with antisocial and criminal behavior, this article discusses the measurement of attitudes and orientations.

Abstract

Through some meta-analyses, much research has established that attitudes and orientations correlate highly with antisocial and criminal behavior. In addition, much research has shown that when attitudes and orientations are measured by psychometric actuarial risk/needs assessment instruments (such as LSI-R and YO-LSI), the resulting scores similarly correlate with antisocial and criminal behavior. Given this evidence, it is important to explore specifically how attitudes and orientations contribute to negative behavior. One way in which attitudes and orientations result in antisocial behavior is through neutralization. The concept of behavior neutralization is in part the result of the subcultural theories of crime that view delinquent individuals as holding values opposite to the dominant culture. The five types of neutralization presented by Sykes and Matza are denial of responsibility, denial of injury, denial of the victim, condemnation of the condemners, and appeal to higher loyalties. When compared to current research, these ideas appear somewhat dated; however, it is these types of neutralization that represent antisocial attitudes which correlate with criminal behavior. There are some instruments available to help the corrections professional assess attitudes and orientations of an individual offender. Two of these instruments are the Criminal Sentiments Scale and the Pride in Delinquency Scale. The utility of both instruments lies in their ability to quantify antisocial attitudes and, in turn, illustrate the link between these attitudes and behavior. In addition, the use of both these instruments allows for a clearer understanding of antisocial attitudes when it comes to measuring that component on a risk/needs assessment instrument. This article describes the structure and content of these instruments. 13 references