NCJ Number
133802
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1991) Pages: 423-431
Date Published
1991
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The relationship between criminal psychopathy and violent behavior was investigated in a sample of 87 randomly selected inmates incarcerated at Joyceville Institution, a medium-security Federal prison that house 544 male prisoners.
Abstract
Psychopaths scored higher than nonpsychopaths on measures of impulsiveness and aggressiveness on Hare's Psychopathy Checklist and were more likely than other inmates to behave aggressively; to have committed more serious past offenses; to have used weapons, threats, and instrumental aggression; and to have suffered physical abuse as a child. Responding to hypothetical situations that involved a frustrating outcome, psychopaths reported that they would be more angry than nonpsychopaths and attributed greater hostile intent to others. Violent psychopaths were seen as qualitatively different than violent nonpsychopaths in their use of violence, but did not differ in terms of the seriousness of their index offenses. 1 table and 23 references (Author abstract modified)