NCJ Number
124633
Journal
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Volume: 77 Issue: 342 Dated: (1988) Pages: 7-122
Date Published
1988
Length
116 pages
Annotation
Following a literature review of studies that have examined the psychological factors that distinguish offenders from nonoffenders, this article reports on an ongoing Swedish longitudinal study of childhood factors that contribute to adjustment and maladjustment in adulthood.
Abstract
For the longitudinal study, 2,203 boys and 2,074 girls in sixth to eighth grade classes were selected. Only the boys were examined for this study. The results presented in this report are for the 10-year followup. Various tests were administered to determine the emotional and demographic characteristics of the boys. Subjects were compared according to those who had records of police contacts and those who did not. Childhood emotional differences were found between offenders and nonoffenders in the followup. Offender childhood characteristics were related to serious mental disorders, notably factors related to distorted body image and poor reality orientation. Although future offenders had a sufficiently developed ego to handle common tasks, they were unable to complete or cope emotionally with difficult and unfamiliar tasks. They had not developed adequate defense mechanisms and had a low tolerance for frustration. They were emotionally immature, unstable, and impulsive. 24 tables, 191 references.