Predicting prison adjustment with structured personality inventories.

Carbonell, Joyce L.; Moorhead, Karen M.; Megargee, Edwin I.

doi:10.1037/0022-006x.52.2.280

Cited by 40 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Psychological test results have not been found to be good predictors of institutional behaviors and inmate adjustment (see the review by Carbonell, Moorhead, & Megargee, 1984). Psychological or psychiatric labels that are applied to inmates, generally, have also been found to be wanting in this regard.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Treating criminal psychopaths in a therapeutic community program

Ogloff¹,

Wong²,

Greenwood³

1990

Behavioral Sci & The Law

323

207

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A Therapeutic Community (TC) treatment program for adult male offenders is summarized and treatment outcome data are discussed. Psychopaths showed less clinical improvement, displayed lower levels of motivation and were discharged from the program earlier than nonpsychopaths. There were significant positive treatment effects for the non-psychopaths and a mixed group. Psychopathy Checklist scores (Hare, 1985) consistently postdict and predict treatment outcome and attrition from the program.9Criminal psychopaths commit 3.5 times more violent crimes than do non-psychopaths (Hare & McPherson, 1984). Once incarcerated psychopaths also display more violent and aggressive behaviors (Hare & McPherson, 1984; Wong, 1984) and are frequently segregated or referred for treatment (McCord, 1982). They are also more likely to violate conditional releases (Hart, Kropp, & Hare, 1988; Wong, 1984). In many clinical and legal circles, psychopaths are generally seen as untreatable, although the issue is far from settled (Suedfelt & Landon, 1978;Wong, Elek, & Ogloff, 1988). Despite their notorious criminal histories and high recidivism rates, they are just as likely as the non-psychopaths to secure conditional releases (Wong, 1984). Criminal psychopaths, therefore, present significant clinical, legal and administrative concerns that must be addressed by those working within the criminal justice system. This article describes a treatment outcome study of a Therapeutic Community (TC) treatment program designed to treat personality disordered individuals, many of whom are psychopaths. Cleckley (1976) (Hare, 1980b andSchroeder, Schroeder, &Hare, 1983;Raine, 1985; Wong, 1984 and. Hare (1 983) showed a strong agreement between DSM-I11 diagnosis of subjects with Antisocial Personality Disorder (301.7) and psychopaths identified using the PCL ratings (Hare, 1980b). However, as the DSM-111 and the recent revision, the DSM-111-R, both focus almost exclusively on antisocial behaviors, they may not readily identify individuals who may fit the personality characteristics of psychopathy, but who, for one reason or another, manage to avoid early or frequent contact with the judicial system (Hare, 1983). For the present study, the PCL ratings were used for subject selection. THE ASSESSMENT OF PSYCHOPATHY The Therapeutic Community (TC)The T C concept was developed by Jones (1963 and1982) who stressed that one approach to rehabilitate inmates is to provide them with an environment in which they can learn to take responsibility for their behaviors. To this end, positive peer group influences are mobilized, in addition to therapeutic inputs from staff to bring about behavioral changes (see also Vorrath and Brendtro, 1974). The central method of intervention in the T C program is the daily group meeting which includes all patients and staff. This 'large group' functions both as a forum for therapy, as well as a setting for developing unit rules. Personal and other living problems that the inmates have been experiencing are encouraged to be brought up ...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Treating criminal psychopaths in a therapeutic community program

Ogloff¹,

Wong²,

Greenwood³

1990

Behavioral Sci & The Law

323

207

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Carbonell, Megargee, & Moorhead (1984) described statistically signi®cant ®ndings in using the MMPI to forecast prison adjustment, but cautioned that the accompanying correlation coecients were too low to support using the instrument in individual decision making. Quay (1984) obtained MMPI pro®les on 1824 inmates in U.S. federal prison who had been assigned to one of ®ve inmate classi®cation groups based on characteristic behaviors determined by record review and institutional observation.…”

Section: Self-report Instrumentsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…MMPI pro®le patterns have been observed to change over time so that an inmate's corresponding Megargee classi®cation may shift (Clements, 1996;Craig, 1996), further limiting predictive usefulness of the MMPI in evaluating long term violence potential. MMPI ®ndings thus should not be considered to represent immutable personality characteristics.…”

Section: Self-report Instrumentsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Integrating base rate data in violence risk assessments at capital sentencing

Cunningham

Reidy²

1998

Behav. Sci. Law

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Prediction of violence in capital sentencing has been controversial. In the absence of a scientific basis for risk assessment, mental health professionals offering opinions in the capital sentencing context are prone to errors. Actuarial or group statistical data, known as base rates, have proven far superior to other methods for reducing predictive errors in many contexts, including risk assessment. Actuarial follow‐up data on violent recidivism of capital murderers in prison and post release have been compiled and analyzed to demonstrate available base rates for use by mental health experts conducting risk assessments pertaining to capital sentencing. This paper also reviews various methods for individualizing the application of base rates to specific cases. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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“…Inmates who demonstrated the poorest coping skills in the community are more likely to be single, impulsive, have a history of psychological problems, and a lengthier prior record (Zamble & Porporino, 1988). Not coincidentally, these same factors emerge as risk factors for misconduct in the institution (Adams, 1992;Bonta & Nanckivell, 1980;Carbonell & Moorehead, 1984;Flanagan, 1980Flanagan, , 1983Lombardo, 1982;Toch, Adams, & Greene, 1987).…”

Section: Deviant Copingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A General Strain Theory of Prison Violence and Misconduct: An Integrated Model of Inmate Behavior

Blevins

Listwan

Cullen

et al. 2010

Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice

188

159

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Explanations of prison violence and other forms of misconduct have been dominated by three competing models: (a) the deprivation model, (b) the importation model, and (c) the coping model. We propose that these three seemingly competing models can be integrated within Agnew's general strain theory (GST). GST enriches the deprivation model by revealing three distinctive categories of strain. GST encompasses the importation model in hypothesizing that criminal cultural values and affiliations will structure the response to the strains of imprisonment. And GST incorporates the coping model in its emphasis on how social support, social capital, and human capital can blunt the effects of potentially criminogenic strains. Finally, GST is sufficiently broad to include factors (e.g., emotions, self-control) in the explanation of prison maladjustment not covered by the three main models of prison inmate behavior. In short, GST offers a general integrated framework for reconceptualizing our understanding of prison violence and misconduct. Keywords general strain theory, prison misconduct, corrections, inmate rule violationsTraditional criminological theories have not often been systematically applied to the explanation of inmate misconduct. This omission represents a missed opportunity to

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Predicting prison adjustment with structured personality inventories.

Cited by 40 publications

References 24 publications

Treating criminal psychopaths in a therapeutic community program

Treating criminal psychopaths in a therapeutic community program

Integrating base rate data in violence risk assessments at capital sentencing

A General Strain Theory of Prison Violence and Misconduct: An Integrated Model of Inmate Behavior

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