NCJ Number
106420
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1987) Pages: 179-195
Date Published
1987
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Four groups of serving prisoners were compared to examine the range of personality dimensions and factors considered important in violent offenders, to compare their relative value in predicting violent offenses, and to determine if nonhomicidal prisoners had features in common with murderers; personality indices did not appear as reliable predictors of group membership.
Abstract
Measures of personality, demographic variables, and past history of violence were selected in a comparison study of 29 murderers, 30 assaulters, 51 armed robbers, and 25 nonviolent controls. Results reveal that the hostility dimension seems to play a key role in the murderers' composite profile, though they attempt to lie more than the other offenders about aggressive urges or behaviors. Murderers displayed a similar incidence of alcohol abuse but less drug abuse than their cohorts. Over one-half of murderers had juvenile records, and about two-thirds had a previous criminal conviction. Murderers were extremely defensive and wished to appear to be perceived as low in hostility. Murderers tend to hide their hostile impulses and to misperceive violence in their family background, sometimes considering their violent behavior normal. Armed robbers and assaulters tend to distort primarily their self-confidence and level of self-consciousness. The findings suggest that the critical difference between violent and nonviolent offenders may be in the offender's personal history and propensity for violent acts. 3 tables and 50 references. (Author abstract modified)