The role of criminal cognitions and personality traits in non‐violent recidivism: an empirical investigation within a prison sample
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/20093821311307758 |
| Pages | 40-48 |
| Date | 15 March 2013 |
| Published date | 15 March 2013 |
| Author | Ashling Bourke,Daniel Boduszek,Philip Hyland |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Public policy & environmental management,Sociology |
The role of criminal cognitions and
personality traits in non-violent recidivism:
an empirical investigation within
a prison sample
Ashling Bourke, Daniel Boduszek and Philip Hyland
Abstract
Purpose – The aim of the current study is to investigate criminal psycho-social cognition, criminal
associates and personality traits as predictors of non-violent recidivism.
Design/methodology/approach – The sample consisted of 179 male non-violent offenders. Each
offender completed self-report measures assessing criminal attitudes, criminal associates, criminal
social identity and Eysenck’s personality traits. Recidivism was assessed through self-reported
frequency of imprisonment. A sequential moderated multiple regression analysis investigated the
relationship between criminal thinking, criminal social identity and level of recidivism with the moderating
role of personality.
Findings – Results indicate that criminal thinking is moderated by personality in the prediction of
recidivism such that respondents who score high on psychoticism and low on neuroticism and
extraversion show a positive association between criminal think styles and recidivism.
Research limitations/implications – It is suggested that future research and risk assessment
instruments consider the interaction between risk factors in the prediction of recidivism, rather than
investigating the factors independently.
Originality/value – This study is a valuable contribution as it investigates non-violent recidivism
specifically, and informs on the moderating influence of personality in the prediction of this behaviour.
Keywords Criminal cognitions, Personality,Recidivism, Prison study, Moderation analysis, Criminology,
Behaviour, Cognition, Men
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The observation that many offenders re-engage in crime following their initial incarceration,
and the effect this crime has on the prison system, and society in general, has lead
criminologists to investigate the factors that are associated with re-engagement in crime, and
based on these factors to attempt to estimate the risk that an individual will reoffend. With the
increased attention given to dangerousness in the criminal justice system, much research has
focused on the prediction of violent recidivism. Less attention has been given to the study of
non-violent recidivism; however,it has been demonstrated that there is no distinction between
the variables that are predictive of violent and general recidivism (Bonta et al., 1996;
Gendreau et al., 1996). The purpose of the current study is to investigate the predictors of non-
violent recidivism, in particular the role of criminal cognitions and personality factors in non-
violent recidivism.
Antisocial cognition, criminal associates, developmental history and personality factors have
been suggested to be the ‘‘big four’’ risk factors in current criminology theory. Moreover,
antisocial cognition and persona lity variables are suggested to make ind ependent
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JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY
j
VOL. 3 NO. 1 2013, pp. 40-48, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2009-3829 DOI 10.1108/20093821311307758
Ashling Bourke is based in
the Department of
Education, St Patrick’s
College, Dublin, Ireland.
Daniel Boduszek is based
in the Department of
Behavioural and Social
Sciences, University of
Huddersfield,
Huddersfield, UK.
Philip Hyland is based in
the Psychology
Department, University of
Ulster, Derry,
Northern Ireland.
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