NCJ Number
208730
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 39 Issue: 4 Dated: 2004 Pages: 15-29
Editor(s)
Nathaniel J. Pallone Ph.D.
Date Published
2004
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study examined the reliability and validity of the Criminal Attribution Inventory (CRAI), measuring criminal responsibility and blame and to demonstrate its sensitivity to criminal treatment change.
Abstract
Developed in 2003, the Criminal Attribution Inventory (CRAI) goals are to assess an offender’s treatment change resulting from an intervention program addressing antisocial or criminal content and to assist in the evaluation of treatment programs. The CRAI is a standardized self-report instrument assessing the respondent’s perception of the causation of crime. It consists of six scales which measure criminal responsibility, external criminal blame, and the attribution of crime to random factors. The purpose of this study was to provide evidence of reliability and appropriate pre-post-test changes in five offender treatment programs with the largest pre-post-test score differences predicted to occur with targeted scales that were relevant to the treatment goals of the program. Five studies were conducted. The first consisted of 70 incarcerated male offenders; the second consisted of 36 sexual offenders participating in a sexual offender program; the third consisted of 38 male offenders who participated in a violent offender treatment program for high risk offenders; the fourth consisted of pre-post-treatment program differences; and the fifth consisted of released offenders residing in the community. With incarcerated and community samples, adequate reliabilities and pre-post-treatment change were demonstrated. Overall, the results indicate some evidence of the CRAI’s utility in measuring criminal treatment change. Tables and references