NCJ Number
42137
Date Published
1972
Length
60 pages
Annotation
THIS RESEARCH SEEKS TO PROVIDE SOME TEST OF MOST OF THE MAJOR HYPOTHESES CONCERNING THE CAUSES OF PSYCHOPATHIC BEHAVIOR AMONG ADULT CRIMINALS FOR TREATMENT AND PREVENTION PURPOSES.
Abstract
PSYCHOPATHY, THE MOST COMMON FORM OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TYPOLOGY AMONG ADULT CRIMINAL OFFENDERS, IS CHARACTERIZED BY VIOLENCE-PRONENESS AND ANTISOCIAL CONDUCT. IN THIS STUDY, AN EXHAUSTIVE SELECTION PROCESS WAS UTILIZED IN WHICH A LARGE NUMBER OF INMATE SUBJECTS IN THE COLORADO STATE PRISON WERE EXPOSED TO THREE PSYCHOMETRIC TOOLS WHICH HAVE BEEN USED IN PREVIOUS STUDIES TO ASCERTAIN PSYCHOPATHY. SUBJECTS WHO MET ALL THREE CRITERIA WERE SPLIT INTO EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS. PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL MEASURES, TESTOSTERONE HORMONE CONFIGURATIONS AND CHROMOSOMAL TESTS WERE OBTAINED ON EACH SUBJECT. HIGHER THAN USUAL TESTOSTERONE LEVELS, CORRELATIONS BETWEEN PERMISSIVE CHILDHOOD ENVIRONMENT AND MANIPULATIVE ABILITY, AND DIFFERENCES IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PATTERNING BETWEEN UNDERCONTROLLED AND OVERCONTROLLED SUBJECTS WERE FOUND IN THE INMATES STUDIED....MSP