Classification of Severe Male Juvenile Offenders Using the MACI Clinical and Personality Scales

Abstract

Classifications for severe juvenile offenders and ones that include mental health needs are lacking. Thus, in this study, adolescent male offenders (N = 652) committed to a residential facility were clustered on personality and clinical scales of the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (Millon, 1993) into 5 groups (including 4 found in other typologies). As expected, the impulsive/reactive and psychopathy groups had more severe criminal histories and the impulsive/reactive and anxious/inhibited groups had increased suicidal behaviors and poor psychosocial functioning. The impulsive/reactive group showed expected verbal deficits. The unremarkable group lacked discernable personality/clinical problems and was unremarkable on dependent variables. A conforming group emerged that may be unique to severe juvenile offender populations. Future studies should examine institutional adjustment and outcomes among the identified groups.