Criminal Sentiments Research Articles

Predictors of Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified Scores in Outpatients with Legal System Involvement.

The Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified (CSS-M) has been widely used as a measure of criminal attitudes. This analysis examined CSS-M scores in a large sample of outpatients with serious mental illnesses and a criminal legal system history. We compared total and subscale scores in our sample to scores from two other previously published U.S. studies in which the CSS-M was used, and evaluated associations between total CSS-M score and nine variables (age, educational attainment, gender, race, marital status, employment status, diagnostic category, substance use disorder comorbidity, and adverse childhood experiences (ACE) score). Scores were higher than in two prior U.S. studies involving other types of samples. Independently significant predictors of higher CSS-M scores included being younger (P < .001), having a higher ACE score (P < .001), being male (P = 03), not identifying as White (P < 001), not having a psychotic disorder (P < 001), and having a comorbid substance use disorder (P = 002). Future research should test the hypothesis that these factors increase risk for arrest and that arrest events, and subsequent criminal legal system involvement, are characterized by negative experiences and perceptions of poor procedural justice, which in turn underpin the negative opinions referred to as "criminal sentiments" or criminal attitudes.

Therapeutic and risk relevance of psychopathy and general criminal attitude change in an institutional sexual offense treatment program.

We examined the interrelationships between psychopathy, changes in general criminal attitudes, and community recidivism in a sample of 212 men who attended an institutional sexual offense treatment program (SOTP) and were followed for an average of 12.73years post-release. The men completed a self-report measure of general criminal attitudes, the Criminal Sentiments Scale, as part of routine SOTP service delivery, Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) ratings were completed via file review, and recidivism data were obtained from official criminal records. Criminal attitude endorsement and criminal attitude change had clinically meaningful, but differential, associations with the antisocial and interpersonal features of psychopathy. Further, positive changes in criminal attitudes-particularly tolerance of law violations (i.e., rationalizations for criminal behavior)-were significantly predictive of reductions in community violent and general recidivism after controlling for PCL-R score. Results demonstrate that general criminal attitude change has risk relevance in the treatment of high psychopathy persons with sexual offense histories.

Criminal Thinking: Exploring its Relationship with Prosocial Behavior, Emotional Intelligence, and Cultural Dimensions

This study explores the relationship between criminal thinking and other variables related to criminal cognition. Prosocial behavior, emotional intelligence, and cultural dimensions were chosen to check their predictive capacity for criminal thinking. The research sample comprised 695 young university students and adults, chosen by a non-probabilistic sampling method. The instruments used were the Criminal Sentiments Scales (CSS-M), the Prosociality Scale, the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EQI-C), and the Scale of Cultural Dimensions in its Spanish adaptation. A MANOVA, correlations, and lineal regressions were conducted using SPSS 26 and a SEM was proposed with the results obtained. Criminal thinking’s scores showed differences depending on the age of the participants. The SEM indicated that uncertainty avoidance is a good predictor of criminal thinking. Also, prosocial behavior and emotional intelligence are good predictors of uncertainty avoidance. Although future studies are needed, these results could be used to help future research, rehabilitation, or prevention programs.

Trauma Exposure and Trauma Symptoms as Predictors of Police Perceptions in Latinx Youths.

The Latinx immigrant youth population composes nearly a quarter of all children in the U.S. and are a high-risk group for police encounters. Based on perceptions of Latinxs as criminals, increased enforcement actions against Latinxs in the U.S., and failures of policing and police brutality in immigrants' home countries, we expected that immigrants who reported increased trauma exposure and symptoms would have more negative perceptions of police. This study utilized data from 107 recently immigrated Latinx youth to examine how trauma exposure (Child Trauma Screen) and symptoms (Child PTSD Symptoms Scale) related to perceptions of police (Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified). Consistent with the proposed hypotheses, trauma symptoms evidenced a significant main effect in relation to perceptions of police, B = .115, t = 2.35; p = .021, such that greater trauma symptoms were associated with more negative perceptions of law enforcement. Though trauma exposure did not evidence a significant main effect in relation to perceptions of police, B = .254, t = 1.46; p = .146, moderation analyses indicated that trauma exposure was associated with more negative perceptions of police, B = -.019, t = -2.08; p = .040. However, this interaction effect indicated that when both trauma symptoms and trauma exposure were high, less negative perceptions of police were observed. The present study provides novel data on police perceptions in young Latinx immigrants. Findings highlight the need for improved community relations and culturally responsive strategies between law enforcement and communities of color.

A Cross-Cultural Examination of the Criminal Sentiments Scale–Modified

Research has demonstrated that criminal attitudes are a primary predictor of criminal conduct; hence, measuring attitudes is important. The Criminal Sentiments Scale–Modified (CSS-M) is a widely used measure of criminal attitudes; however, its psychometric properties have been established primarily on Western samples and there is a pressing need to translate the scale into other languages. Hence, the objective of this research was to translate CSS-M into the Urdu language and validate it. This objective was achieved in three studies on samples of young adults. In Study I, the scale was translated and its cross-language validation was established. In Study II, the factor structure of the CSS-M was examined through CFA. In Study III, interscale correlations and gender differences were examined. Findings demonstrated that CSS-M is a reliable and valid instrument when assessing attitudes toward crime in the Pakistani sample.

Childhood Abuse Classes for Incarcerated Men and Women: Are There Unique Gender Patterns in Abuse Classes?

Childhood adversity is predictive of poorer health and behavioral health outcomes in adulthood. Males and females are known to experience different types of childhood adversity, with females experiencing more sexual and emotional harm in childhood. Latent class analysis (LCA) has been used to identify patterns among types of childhood adversity. These studies have constructed class structures using single gender or blended gender samples. Class structures based on blended gender samples, however, may misrepresent the nuances of gender-specific adversity histories through averaging, potentially distorting the relative need for gender-specific types of intervention. This study investigated whether latent class structures of childhood abuse are equivalent for incarcerated males and females. Our sample included 4,204 residents (3,986 males, 218 females) drawn from a single prison system. Residents completed an hour-long audio computer-assisted self-interview that included questions on 10 types of childhood abuse, depression, and anxiety symptoms, the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, and Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified (CSS-M). Overall, female residents were both more likely to experience childhood abuse and have more extensive victimization experiences. Small subgroups of males, however, had even more extensive victimization experiences. Abuse patterns for males and females, while optimally clustering in four classes, are rather unique, especially for higher abuse classes, in terms of distribution of membership and types of abuse. These differences may matter in terms of identifying the relative need for therapeutic intervention among incarcerated males and females and targeting those interventions in ways that reflect the gradient and density of therapeutic need. The next step is to test whether using blended or gendered latent class structures matters in terms of predicting outcomes, such as prison-based behavioral health problems, suicidality, and victimization.

Is Risk-Need-Responsivity Enough? Examining Differences in Treatment Response Among Male Incarcerated Persons

Research examining the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in reducing recidivism has paid little attention to treatment factors contributing to response variability. Using an archival sample of 448 participants exposed to a risk-need-responsivity (RNR)-informed CBT program or no treatment, a multigroup latent profile analysis yielded a four-profile solution: a treatment-nonresponsive group and three treatment-responsive groups. Among the treatment-responsive profiles, reduced criminal attitudes were most predictive of desistance from reoffending. Elevated rates of recidivism and negligible gains following treatment were associated with pretreatment elevations in antisocial traits, risk level, and negative attitudes toward treatment. These findings underscore a greater need for individualized assessment of risk and treatment motivation, the importance of altering criminal sentiments to prevent reentry into the system upon release, and challenge the idea that 200 hours of treatment is sufficient for lasting change. Study limitations and further directions are discussed, including the need for correctional treatment outcome research to better isolate individual differences.

Assessment and Modification of General Criminal Attitudes Among Men Who Have Sexually Offended

General criminal attitudes have been well established as a dynamic risk factor for the origin, maintenance, and continuation of criminal behavior. Guided by the risk–need–responsivity (RNR) framework, this study examined self-reported change on a measure of general criminal attitudes in a sample of incarcerated men who participated in a sexual offense treatment program. Participants were administered the original version of the Criminal Sentiments Scale (CSS) and other measures at pretreatment and posttreatment and followed up in the community an average 14 years post-release. The results demonstrated that CSS total and subscale scores predicted general and violent recidivism, showed convergence with actuarial measures of criminogenic need, and had clinically meaningful associations with responsivity considerations. Pre–post changes on the CSS were associated with decreased general and violent recidivism controlling for pretreatment score and baseline risk. Implications for forensic assessment and correctional intervention are discussed.

M242. PREDICTORS OF CRIMINAL SENTIMENTS SCALE (CSS-M) SCORES AMONG OUTPATIENTS WITH PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS

BackgroundIndividuals with serious mental illness (SMI) are over-represented in the criminal justice system. One factor that impacts likelihood of incarceration is criminal thinking, and the Criminal Sentiments Scale – Modified (CSS-M) has been shown to predict recidivism. However, no one has examined the CSS-M in outpatients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, and little is known about what predicts high CSS-M scores.MethodsThe data for the current investigation comes from a larger sample of individuals with SMI receiving services from outpatient mental health clinics who were enrolled in a randomized-controlled trial. The CSS-M was verbally administered to everyone during a baseline assessment. The 264 individuals in the sample all have a diagnosis of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder, and all had been arrested in the last five years. We first explored the impact of demographic factors and adverse childhood experiences (ACE) on CSS-M scores. For the 258 participants with complete data for all five sub-scales (attitudes towards law, attitudes towards courts, attitudes towards police, tolerance for law violations, and identification with criminal others), we conducted a hierarchical analysis using Ward’s method to explore and define the number of clusters. We determined the number of clusters using the Elbow method. We then repeated the cluster analysis using a non-hierarchical method with the K-means technique and fixing the number of clusters to three.ResultsThe current sample exhibited considerably higher CSS-M scores than those previously published (mean = 32.0±14.4). The total CSS-M score demonstrated high reliability (alpha = 0.898), and four of the sub-scales exhibited moderate to high reliability (α,Law = 0.741; α,Courts = 0.808; α,Police = 0.762; α,TLV = 0.696). When controlling for age, race, gender, and ACE score, the multiple linear regression model accounted for 8.6% of the variability in total CSS-M score (p < 0.001), though only ACE score and age were significant predictors (β = 0.218, p = 0.001; β = -0.167, p = 0.008, respectively). The cluster analysis produced three clusters. Given that the ICO sub-scale had the lowest Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.328), we repeated the cluster analysis process with the four other sub-scales, which confirmed the three clusters. An ANOVA with the four sub-scales and total CSS-M score showed that the three clusters could be defined as those with low, medium, and high scores on the scales. Confirming the results from the MLR, an ANOVA of the three clusters with ACE scores (F= 4.49, p = 0.012) and age (F = 3.77, p = 0.024) were both significant.DiscussionThe average total CSS-M score is considerably higher than previous investigations. Both high ACE scores and younger age significantly predicted higher CSS-M scores. Because CSS-M scores have been shown to predict recidivism, it is critical to further understand the foundation of these negative attitudes towards the criminal justice system to prevent the continued over-representation of people with serious mental illness in the criminal justice system.

Nuteistųjų adaptaciją pataisos įstaigose prognozuojantys veiksniai

Adaptacija pataisos įstaigoje – tai įkalinto asmens psichologinis ir elgesinis atsakas į pataisos įstaigos aplinką ir įkalinimo situaciją (Fedock, 2017). Sėkmingai adaptavęsi nuteistieji geba patenkinti savo pagrindinius poreikius, nekonfliktuoja nei su pataisos įstaigos administracija, nei su kitais nuteistaisiais, nepatiria stiprių neigiamų emocijų ir t.t. Manoma, kad nesėkminga adaptacija pataisos įstaigoje siejasi su mažesne motyvacija keisti savo nusikalstamą elgesį ir recidyvu (Loper, 2002; Zamble &amp; Porporino, 1988). Nors nuteistųjų adaptacija pataisos įstaigose ir ją prognozuojančiais veiksniais užsienio mokslininkai domisi jau kelis dešimtmečius, Lietuvoje tokių tyrimų ypač trūksta. Šio tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti laisvės atėmimo bausmę atliekančių nuteistųjų adaptaciją Lietuvos pataisos įstaigose prognozuojančius veiksnius. Tyrime dalyvavo nuteistieji vyrai (N = 331) iš 5 Lietuvos pataisos įstaigų, jų amžius svyravo nuo nuo 18 iki 68 metų (M = 35,17, SD = 10,75). Adaptacijai įvertinti buvo naudojama Kalėjimo problemų skalė (Zamble &amp; Porporino, 1988), Beck depresijos klausimyno antroji leidimo versija (Beck, Steer, &amp; Brown, 1996) ir Beck nerimo klausimynas (Beck, Epstein, Brown, &amp; Steer, 1988). Adaptacijos veiksniai buvo įvertinti demografinių duomenų anketa bei Kriminalinių nuostatų modifikuota skale (Simourd, 1997). Nustatyta, jog adaptaciją geriausiai prognozuoja kriminalinės nuostatos ir bendravimas su draugais arba partnere. Tirti veiksniai paaiškino iki 16 % adaptaciją vertinančių kintamųjų sklaidos.

Examining the Convergent Validity of the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure Using a Sample of Incarcerated and on Probation Lithuanian Juveniles.

The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM) is based on the triarchic psychopathy model proposed by Patrick, Fowles, and Krueger in 2009. This paper assesses the convergent validity of TriPM using a number of measures for a sample of adolescents who are either incarcerated or on probation. These included the Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability: Adolescent Version (START: AV); the Subtypes of Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire (STAB); the Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified (CSS-M); and the Measure of Criminal Social Identity (MCSI). The results showed significant differences between groups that are incarcerated and those on probation, with the incarcerated sample of juveniles exhibiting higher ratings in terms of Disinhibition and lower ratings for Boldness. The TriPM measures examined also show expected positive correlations with concurrent measures related to criminal behavior in both of the aforementioned samples of juveniles. A different pattern of correlations was observed between Boldness and STAB scales, with a large positive correlation found in the incarcerated sample, while no significant correlations were detected in the probation sample. The results support the usefulness of TriPM in assessing the psychopathy in samples of the juvenile offenders chosen for our research purposes.

American Sympathizers: Confessing Illicit Feeling from the Civil War to the Vietnam War

Portraits of sympathizers recur across American literature, from nineteenth-century narratives by Edward Everett Hale Jr., Loreta Velazquez, and Walt Whitman to Viet Thanh Nguyen's twenty-first-century novel. Together, their texts elucidate why this understudied trope remains provocative. Whereas nineteenth-century literature often imagines how sympathy fosters national cohesion, feeling for the enemy threatens such stability and prompts government efforts to regulate sentiment. Sympathizers may perform loyalty to claim the authority associated with white masculinity. Yet they also gain power by confessing to criminal sentiments. This figure thus embodies fantasies of rebellion, fears of national dissolution, and the state's affective power.

Measuring the Criminal Mind: The Relationship Between Intelligence and CSS-M Results Among a Sample of Pennsylvania Prison Inmates

This article investigates the relationship between IQ scores and criminal thinking as measured by the Criminal Sentiments Scale–Modified (CSS-M). We argue the CSS-M may not capture criminal thinking, but reflects the test-takers’ cognitive ability to interpret the test’s intentions. Based on our analysis of inmates admitted to Pennsylvania prisons in 2013, we find that highly intelligent inmates receive lower scores on the CSS-M, controlling for other measures of risk. In our analysis, the CSS-M’s ability to predict institutional misconduct is greatest for inmates whose IQ scores fall in the middle of the distribution, with a weaker relationship between CSS-M and misconduct found among low- or high-IQ inmates. We propose a need for reevaluation of actuarial assessment tools for cognitively low- or high-functioning inmates. Taking into account the social-environmental factors of the testing situation and being aware of the test-takers’ interpretative processes may be crucial for generating valid results.

Gender Differences in the Measurement of Criminal Thinking

Despite the importance of criminal thinking to the etiology of crime, studies disagree on whether there are gender differences in criminal thinking and whether females exhibit criminal thinking to the same degree as males. Part of the differences across studies may be due to gender differences in the measurement of criminal thinking, yet this question has not been systematically examined. The current study assesses whether the measurement of criminal thinking (via measurement invariance tests of the Criminogenic Cognition Scales and the Criminal Sentiments Scale–Modified) varies between male and female probationers. The results highlight both similarities and differences in the measurement of criminal thinking, with 26% of items significantly varying between genders. Once measurement differences and similarities were taken into account, male and female probationers were just as likely to exhibit antisocial attitudes. The implications highlight the notion that researchers cannot assume that criminal thinking assessments are gender-neutral.

Predicting Recidivism With the Criminal Sentiments Scale

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Criminal Sentiments Scale (CSS), a putative measure of criminal thought content, was capable of predicting recidivism in adult and juvenile offenders. Thirteen nonoverlapping samples from 10 different studies (total N = 1,789) were included in a meta-analysis in which the total CSS scale and its three subscales—Attitudes Toward the Law, Courts, and Police (LCP); Tolerance for Law Violations (TLV); and Identification With Criminal Others (ICO)—were used to predict reoffending. The total score, LCP, and TLV achieved modest to low moderate effect sizes and the ICO achieved a weak, but significant effect size. There were no signs of significant scatter between studies and no evidence of publication bias. It is concluded that the CSS may have value in predicting recidivism, although additional research is required to determine whether it has incremental validity relative to measures of criminal though process.

Self-reported psychopathy and its association with criminal cognition and antisocial behavior in a sample of university undergraduates.

The present study examined the construct of psychopathy (as assessed via self-report) and its relation to criminal attitudes, criminal thinking styles, and self-reported antisocial behavior in a sample of 248 Canadian university undergraduate students. Participants completed 3 forensic self-report measures (Self-Report Psychopathy: Short Form; Criminal Sentiments Scale–Modified; Criminal Thinking Profile), and a measure of self-reported antisocial behaviour. Moderate to large positive correlations were observed among the 3 forensic self-report measures. Self-reported antisocial behaviours, organized into 2 groups reflecting serious infrequent antisocial behaviours and more frequent but generally less serious rule violations, were significantly positively correlated with several indexes of psychopathy and criminal cognition. Multiple regression analyses revealed that, controlling for Criminal Thinking Profile and Criminal Sentiments Scale–Modified scales, the Self-Report Psychopathy: Short Form Antisocial scale uniquely predicted serious self-reported antisocial behaviour while its Lifestyle scale uniquely predicted more frequent and less severe antisocial behaviour. The present study supports the construct validity of self-report forensic measures in a university undergraduate sample and the relations of self-reported psychopathic traits to criminal cognition and antisocial behaviour.

Measuring Antisocial Values and Attitudes in Justice-Involved Male Youth

The Risk–Need–Responsivity (RNR) framework for working with offenders has been well validated. Factors that contribute to reoffending within adult and youth forensic populations have been identified, including antisocial attitudes, but less is known about the measurement of this construct in youth. Thus, in the present study, the reliability and validity of criminal attitudes measures were examined in a sample of justice-involved male youth ( N = 291). Two measures widely used with adult offenders were included in the present study: the Pride in Delinquency Scale (PID) and the Criminal Sentiments Scale–Modified (CSS-M). Both measures were found to be reliable and valid, and of importance, useful in the prediction of reoffending behavior (area under the curve = .70 and .69 respectively). These findings further support the use of the RNR framework in general with youthful offenders, and more specifically, the use of criminal attitudes measures with youth.

Criminal sentiments and behaviours among young people in Hong Kong

Criminal attitudes have been found to influence criminal behaviour. Yet this is an understudied area in Hong Kong despite the scholarly interests in youth delinquency. In this study, we tested the relationship between criminal sentiments and social factors and illegal conduct among 942 Chinese youths (aged 14–18) in Hong Kong using the Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified (CSS-M). The results were mixed. While all the underlying factors of the CSS-M were found to be significant, only negative attitudes towards the Law–Court–Police and Identifications with Criminal Others had a positive relationship. Contrary to expectations, Tolerance for Law Violations had a negative correlation. Moreover, both social factors and criminal attitudes were found to be significant in influencing youths' criminal behaviour. The results are discussed in the Hong Kong Chinese context.

Comparative Analysis of Attitudes and Emotions Among Inmates

This study examines the relationship between behavioral health problems and criminogenic thinking, aggression, self-control, and hopelessness, controlling for other demographic and criminal behavior characteristics among incarcerated persons. Male ( n = 3,986) and female ( n = 218) inmates expected to be released within 24 months from prisons affiliated with a northeastern state department of corrections completed the Criminal Sentiments Scale–Modified, Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire Short-Form, Brief Self-Control Scale, and Beck Hopelessness Scale. Results indicated that behavioral health variables were significantly and substantially correlated with antisocial thinking, aggression, self-control, and hopelessness. For male inmates, serious mental illness and substance abuse problems significantly increased antisocial attitudes, aggression, and hopelessness scores and decreased self-control scores. In preparing incarcerated persons with and without mental illnesses for reentry to the community, it is critical to develop and implement evidence-based interventions that respond to attitudinal and emotional risk factors that predict relapse and recidivism.

Understanding persons with mental illness who are and are not criminal justice involved: A comparison of criminal thinking and psychiatric symptoms.

Research has begun to elucidate that persons with mental illness become involved in the criminal justice system as a result of criminality and not merely because of their mental illness. This study aims to clarify the similarities and differences in criminal thinking and psychiatric symptomatology between persons with mental illness who are and are not criminal justice involved. Male and female (n = 94) participants admitted to an acute psychiatric facility completed measures to assess criminal thinking (i.e., Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles and Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified) and psychiatric symptomatology (Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-Third Edition). In addition to the inpatient sample, 94 incarcerated persons with mental illness from a previously conducted study were selected based on their match with the current sample on several key demographic and psychiatric variables. The results of this study indicated that hospitalized persons with mental illness with a history of criminal justice involvement evidenced similar thinking styles to persons with mental illness who were incarcerated. Persons with mental illness without criminal justice involvement evidenced fewer thinking styles supportive of a criminal lifestyle than the incarcerated sample. Furthermore, the persons with mental illness sample with no history of criminal justice involvement showed significantly lower levels of psychopathology shown to be risk factors for criminal justice involvement (e.g., antisocial personality, drug dependence, alcohol dependence). These findings have implications for offender-type classification, development of targeted treatment interventions, and program placement.