NCJ Number
174522
Journal
Legal and Criminological Psychology Volume: 3 Issue: issue Dated: September 1998 Pages: 225-235
Date Published
1998
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study investigates patterns of moral reasoning among male delinquents, and male and female non-delinquents.
Abstract
The moral reasoning of 210 female non-offenders, 122 male non-offenders, and 126 convicted offenders between 13 and 22 years of age was assessed using the Sociomoral Reflection Measure-Short Form. A self-reported delinquency checklist was also administered to allow for investigation of the delinquency/moral reasoning relationship within the officially delinquent and non-delinquent groups. Male delinquents had significantly poorer moral reasoning than the male non-delinquents across 10 of the 11 questions on the measure and all five moral values assessed. Female non-delinquents showed significantly higher moral judgment than male non-delinquents on seven of the questions and four moral values. Within each sample, moral reasoning was poorer on the moral values pertaining to offending behavior, and among the male delinquents the score on the life value item was significantly higher than the other values. These findings suggest that delinquents have both value-specific and global deficits in their moral reasoning, with less mature reasoning exhibited in those value areas relating to delinquent behavior. Tables, references