Predicting Prison Misconduct With the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

A meta-analysis of six prison samples using the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) general criminal thinking, proactive criminal thinking, and reactive criminal thinking scales to predict disciplinary infractions was performed. Results showed evidence of significant associations between all three PICTS scales and prison misconduct, whereas the magnitude of effect ranged from small (all infractions) to very small (interpersonal aggression infractions). Although there were no signs of heterogeneity in the results, sex, race, and length of follow up served as moderators. The apparent contradiction of moderator effects in a meta-analysis with no evidence of heterogeneity is discussed.