EMPIRICALLY DETERMINED CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEN TYPES

• NCJ Number: 47699
• Journal: Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1977) Pages: 149-210
• Author(s): E I MEGARGEE; M J BOHN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 60 pages
• Grant Number(s): 18468
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: American Assoc of Correctional Psychologists; Sage Publications, Inc
• Sale Source: Florida State University
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO EMPIRICALLY DETERMINE THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 10 OFFENDER TYPES IDENTIFIED IN AN OFFENDER TAXONOMY BASED ON THE MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY (MMPI).

Abstract

THE 10 GROUPS WERE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED IN NCJ-47698. THE SAMPLE FOR THIS STUDY CONSISTED OF 1,214 OFFENDERS, AGE 18 TO 27 YEARS, ADMITTED TO THE TALLAHASSEE (FL) FEDERAL CORRECTION INSTITUTION. THE MMPI PROFILES OF THESE OFFENDERS WERE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO THE RULES PREVIOUSLY SET FORTH. THE 10 GROUPS WERE THEN CONTRASTED ON A WIDE ARRAY OF DEMOGRAPHIC, INTELLECTUAL, SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND FAMILY AND CRIMINAL HISTORY VARIABLES DERIVED FROM INTAKE INTERVIEWS, PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION REPORTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS' Q-SORTS, AND A NUMBER OF PERSONALITY, ATTITUDE, ABILITY, AND ACHIEVEMENT TESTS. HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES WERE OBTAINED ACROSS GROUPS ON 75 OF THE 86 COMPARISONS, INDICATING THAT THE 10 GROUPS DO DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY IN THEIR BEHAVIOR, SOCIAL HISTORIES, LIFE STYLES, AND PERSONALITY PATTERNS. ON THE BASIS OF THESE RESULTS, MODAL CHARACTERIZATIONS OF THE HYPOTHETICAL AVERAGE MEMBER OF EACH OF THE 10 GROUPS WERE DETERMINED. THESE CHARACTERIZATIONS ARE PRESENTED IN ORDER OF INCREASING DEVIANCE TOGETHER WITH HYPOTHESIZED MODES OF OPTIMAL MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT. TREATMENT PRESCRIPTIONS DISCUSS THE BEST TREATMENT SETTING, THE OPTIMAL CHANGE AGENT, AND THE UNIQUE TREATMENT NEEDS OF THE TYPES. DATA ON A NUMBER OF THE TESTS USED FOR DETERMINING CHARACTERISTICS ARE PRESENTED. IT IS EMPHASIZED THAT THE CHARACTERIZATIONS PRESENTED ARE MODAL STEREOTYPES FROM WHICH CONSIDERABLE INDIVIDUAL VARIATION MAY BE EXPECTED. MOREOVER, INMATES MAY CHANGE THEIR CLASSIFICATIONS OVER TIME. RECOMMENDED TREATMENT PROCEDURES ARE HYPOTHETICAL AND WILL REQUIRE VALIDATION. REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. FOR THE OTHER ARTICLES ARISING FROM THIS STUDY, SEE NCJ 47695-47697/AND 47700. (JAP)