Cross Classification of Five Offender Typologies: Issues of Construct and Predictive Validity

• NCJ Number: 110985
• Journal: Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1988) Pages: 109-124
• Author(s): P vanVoorhis
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 16 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

This article presents the results of a pilot study that examines the predictive and construct validity of five psychological classification systems.

Abstract

The sample consists of 52 newly admitted male Federal penitentiary inmates. Types identified by both the Megargee MMPI-based taxonomy and Quay's taxonomy of adult offenders were found to be correlated with disciplinary infractions. Subjects diagnosed at lower stages of conceptual level and I-level were noted to be more likely to incur victimizations or threats. Results were also somewhat supportive of the construct validity of the following dimensions: (1) cognitive development (conceptual level, moral development, and I-level), (2) neurotic (Quay and I-level), and (3) committed criminal subtypes (Quay, MMPI, and I-level). (Publisher abstract)