Criminal Thinking Research Articles

Major Mental Illness as a Predictor of Recidivism: Reactive Criminal Thinking as a Mediator and Substance Abuse as a Moderator of This Relationship

ABSTRACT Reactive criminal thinking (RCT) represents the impulsive, irrational, and emotional aspects of antisocial cognition. The current study tested major mental illness and its interaction with prior substance abuse as possible predictors of future recidivism, with RCT serving as a mediator and substance abuse as a moderator. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, it was determined that RCT mediated the relationship between major mental illness and recidivism in a group of 1,435 male federal prison inmates. Substance abuse × mental illness interaction did not predict RCT or recidivism at the traditional .05 level of significance. Findings from this study indicate that major mental illness promotes recidivism by stimulating increased levels of RCT which then goes on to predict recidivism.

Development and Validation of the Criminal Thinking Scale (CTS)

This study aimed the development and validation of the Criminal Thinking Scale (CTS), an assessment tool for measuring criminal thinking patterns. Two hundred and seventy institutionalised inmates participated in the study by responding to a survey comprising items of the Criminal Thinking Scale developed in this study. Additionally, the Texas Christian University Criminal Thinking Scale (Cronbach’s α = .84), Early Trauma Inventory Self-Report (Cronbach’s α = .89), Parenting Style Inventory-II (Cronbach’s α = .75) were administered as well for construct validity purposes. The result of the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) confirmed the presence of three components of criminal thinking among items of the Criminal Thinking Scale which were labelled as morality averseness, rationalisation, and retaliatory reasoning with reliability Cronbach’s alpha of .87, .78, .76 respectively. The overall reliability yielded Cronbach’s alpha of .92. In addition, the Criminal Thinking Scale demonstrated concurrent validity with similar measures, that is, Texas Christian University Criminal Thinking Scale [r = .31, p < .01] and showed discriminant validity with Parenting Style Inventory-II [r = -.06, p > .05] and the Early Trauma Inventory Self-Report [r = .07, p > .05]. The study concluded that CTS is a valid and reliable measure of criminal thinking.

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

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.

Offender Recidivism as A Function of Criminal Thinking Style and Criminogenic Needs

Offender Recidivism as A Function of Criminal Thinking Style and Criminogenic Needs

Assessing recidivism risk with criminal thinking and prior arrests: do risk factors accumulate or interact?

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to determine whether two well-known risk factors for recidivism, criminal thinking and prior criminal arrests, were capable of achieving a combined effect, and if so, whether this effect was additive, interactive, or both. This hypothesis was tested in a group of 226 males incarcerated in a medium security federal prison who had participated in a criminal thinking intervention prior to their release from prison. The two main variables, criminal thinking (Exp(b) = 1.016 [1.007,1.024]) and prior arrests (Exp(b) = 1.062 [1.024, 1.102]), and their interaction (Exp(b) = 1.264 [1.002, 1.595]) were statistically significant according to the results of a Cox regression analysis. Moreover, the combined score displayed a small incremental increase in the area under the curve (AUC) of a receiver operating characteristic analysis (.660 [.583, .737]), whereas adding the interaction to the two-variable combination improved the AUC further (.668 [.592, .743]). These results suggest that risk factors for recidivism not only add predictive variance to a risk assessment they may also be capable of forming specific interactive effects with other risk factors, although the effects observed in the current study were small and in need of further evaluation.

Does Criminal Thinking Predict Prison Misconduct? An Evaluation of TCU’s Criminal Thinking Scales

To date, only one published study has tested the predictive validity of the Texas Christian University–Criminal Thinking Scales (TCU-CTS), and no studies have tested whether these scales are predictive of prison misconduct. Using a sample of more than 2,000 people incarcerated in Minnesota’s prison system, this study examined the predictive validity of the TCU-CTS with multiple measures of prison misconduct. The results showed the overall TCU-CTS score significantly predicted misconduct, although the strength of this association was relatively modest (AUC = 0.62). Among the six scales on the TCU-CTS, Cold-Heartedness significantly predicted both measures of misconduct, whereas Power Orientation and Criminal Rationalization were each significantly associated with one misconduct measure.

Criminal thinking and psychosocial characteristics among young adults entering residential substance use treatment.

Background and aim: Young adults with substance use (SU) problems face a high risk of co-occurring problems, including criminality. The aim of the present study was to assess the psychosocial characteristics, SU problems, and criminal thinking young adults entering SU treatment have, and whether the SU characteristics, sex and age are associated with criminal thinking scores. Methods: The sample was 407 young adults aged 16-29 years who underwent an entry assessment between January 2011 and December 2016 at a residential SU treatment institution in Norway. All study data were extracted from electronic health records, including survey information from the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment and the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles. Results: In the present sample, severe SU, high rates of psychosocial problems, and criminal thinking were reported. Almost three-quarters (72.67%) of young adults reported high levels of criminal thinking (≥60). However, male participants were more likely to report high levels of criminal thinking compared to female participants (p=0.031). In bivariate regression models, only sex and having stimulants/opioids as primary drug were associated with mean levels of criminal thinking. The same was true in the multiple regression model. Conclusion: Young adults in residential SU treatment are a multi-problem high-risk/high-need group of people. Due to the elevated levels of criminal thinking, we recommend that young adults in SU treatment should be screened for criminogenic treatment needs, such as criminal thinking, regardless of justice involvement.

New Insights for “What Works”? Religiosity and the Risk-Needs-Responsivity Model

The existing literature has devoted relatively little attention to the responsivity principle and, in particular, religiosity as a type of specific responsivity. Using a sample of nearly 2,000 people incarcerated in Minnesota’s prison system, this study examined the relationship between religiosity and measures of risk, needs, and responsivity. The results showed that religiosity was positively associated with childhood trauma, pro-social identities, and perceived social support, while it was negatively associated with criminal thinking and employment needs. Findings further revealed that religiosity was associated with less prison misconduct and reduced recidivism risk, but only for people with positive self-identities, according to Paternoster and Bushway’s Fear of Self scale, and lower levels of perceived social support. We discuss the implications of these results for theory and practice.

Parenthood and family in the opinions of adult offenders: qualitative study

ABSTRACT The main purpose of this article is to analyze the results of a survey carried out in 2019 among a group of men serving prison sentences. The main research question was how prisoners see themselves as fathers and how they relate it to their own childhood experience. Additionally, the study draws attention to the possibility of empowering imprisoned fathers, as the key factor in bringing them back to society. The methodological approach was qualitative, interviews and observations were used at the same time. Adopting the methodology of grounded theory, the procedures in data coding and analysis were based on the method of constant comparison. The results indicate that it might be very important to address parenting behavior as well as cognitive distortions and main beliefs in fathers who will raise their children after incarceration. In conclusion, this strategy could prevent the families and also the society from developing behavioral problems. The above findings have confirmed John Bowlby’s concept of ties and Glenn David Walters’s theory of criminal thinking and lifestyle.

The Person-Computer Interface in Delinquency Research: Proactive Criminal Thinking as a Moderator of the Hacking with Peers–Juvenile Offending Relationship

The Person-Computer Interface in Delinquency Research: Proactive Criminal Thinking as a Moderator of the Hacking with Peers–Juvenile Offending Relationship

What Are the Psychotherapy Needs of Incarcerated Individuals?

What Are the Psychotherapy Needs of Incarcerated Individuals?

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.

Predicting Day Treatment Program Completion with the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles taking Defensiveness into Account

Predicting Day Treatment Program Completion with the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles taking Defensiveness into Account

Exploring the relationship between psychopathy and criminal thinking: utilising the Tri-PM within a forensic sample

PurposeThe Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (Tri-PM) was developed in 2010 as an alternative approach to the assessment of psychopathy. The measure aims to capture psychopathic traits on a 3-factor model, which encompass the characteristics established in previous measures, as well as those evidenced within practise. Though support for the tool in academic research is growing, less is known about the scale’s utility within crime forensic settings. Thus, this study aims to explore the relationship between the Tri-PM psychopathy constructs and criminal cognition within a forensic sample.Design/methodology/approachSeventy-three adult male offenders, convicted for acquisitive or sexual crimes, from a Category B prison within the Northwest of England completed questionnaires measuring their criminal backgrounds, psychopathy traits (Tri-PM; Patrick, 2010) and criminal thinking styles (Psychology Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles; Walters, 2001).FindingsThe Tri-PM measurement proved to be a successful predictor of most criminal thinking styles. Moreover, the meanness construct was the strongest predictor of proactive thinking styles, whereas the disinhibition construct was the strongest predictor of reactive thinking styles, and the boldness construct was negatively associated with reactive thinking. Comparisons among offender groups also indicated that acquisitive offenders reported higher scores of psychopathy and criminal thinking.Originality/valueThis study offers valuable insight into the proposed relationship between psychopathy and criminal thinking, using a recent addition to the repertoire of psychopathy measurements, the Tri-PM. This study also offers practical implications for those offering treatment within forensic settings, with significant relationships identified between the highly scoring psychopathy constructs and various criminal thinking styles.

Changing criminal thinking: An examination of heterogeneity in treatment effects in a sample of justice-involved persons with dual diagnoses.

Recent studies have indicated variable reductions in criminal thinking for justice-involved persons with mental illness exposed to cognitive-behavioral treatments. To date, however, no studies have identified risk factors for limited response or modeled observed disparities in responsivity to interventions aimed at reducing criminal thinking. Using an archival data set of 162 probationers with a dual diagnosis who were exposed to changing lives and changing outcomes, a latent profile analysis modeled unobserved heterogeneity in treatment response per observed changes in criminal thinking. Most participants endorsed significant changes in self-reported reactive criminal thinking with minimal changes in proactive criminal thinking. Neither self-reported pretreatment severity of psychopathology nor self-reported compliance with psychotropic medication predicted response to treatment. Although diagnosis also did not predict responsiveness, more favorable views of treatment predicted greater decreases in criminal thinking. Moreover, those expressing fewer levels of criminal thinking after treatment were also found to express a decrease in attitudes supportive of violence. Limitations and treatment recommendations are discussed, including the need for correctional treatments to improve responsiveness to individual treatment needs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Criminal Thinking in a Sample of Men and Women Attending a Multi-Site Batterer Intervention Program

The study investigated differences and similarities in criminal thinking between men and women attending a multi-site Batterer Intervention Program (BIP). Overall, rates of criminal thinking were low. However, the results of the multivariate analyses suggest that, after controlling for demographic characteristics (i.e., race, ethnicity, education, SES) and personal experiences (i.e., prior convictions, mental health problems, substance abuse, experience of abuse) female participants significantly differed from men in patterns of Power Orientation. If replicated by other studies, especially studies that use larger samples of women enrolled in BIPs, these findings may contribute to identifying rehabilitation programs that best address women’s needs.

Risk, Needs, and Behavior: Moderating the Mediated Relationship Between Criminal Thinking, Institutional Infractions, and Recidivism With Time Spent in Prison

The research question addressed in the current study asked whether a risk factor would moderate the relationship between a needs factor and behavior and in so doing increase a person’s odds of reoffending. In this study, prison time was the risk factor, proactive and reactive criminal thinking the needs factors, and institutional infractions the behavior. A sample of 1,101 men (mean age = 34.64 years) released from federal prison between 2003 and 2009 participated in a study where a moderated mediation design was employed. The interaction between proactive criminal thinking and time spent in prison was found to predict more infractions in prison, which, in turn, predicted increased levels of recidivism upon release from prison. These results suggest that time spent in prison may provide a context in which proactive criminal thinking encourages antisocial behavior in prison, which then puts the individual at risk for future offending.

Development and Testing of the Texas Christian University Criminal Thinking Scales 3.0

Criminal thinking patterns—attitudes, beliefs, or values supportive of criminal behavior—represent modifiable clinical targets that can be influenced during treatment as a way of decreasing clients’ risk for recidivism. This study developed a revised measure of criminal thinking based on the Texas Christian University Criminal Thinking Scales (TCU CTS). Using a sample of 797 people, results showed the revised instrument (TCU CTS 3.0) measured criminal thinking in five key areas: (1) Power Orientation, (2) Justification, (3) Insensitivity to Impact of Crime, (4) Grandiosity, and (5) Response Disinhibition. Confirmatory factor analysis showed the 5-factor solution reasonably fit the data and measurement invariance was achieved for assigned sex at birth and race. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Tried and True? A Psychometric Evaluation of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles-Short Form.

The Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles-Short Form (PICTS-SF) is an abbreviated 35-item version of the PICTS, a measure of cognitions that support a criminal lifestyle. Despite use in research and clinical work, the PICTS-SF's psychometric properties have not been tested. Using two archival datasets, we analyzed the PICTS-SF's reliability and structural validity in multiply imputed data from adult males and females on probation in a residential treatment facility (n = 514). We also tested the PICTS-SF's reliability and discriminant and postdictive validities among adult males in administrative segregation in prison (n = 95). We found evidence for the PICTS-SF's internal consistency (α and ω ≥ .89), structural validity (CFI = .90, RMSEA = .05), discriminant validity (.22 ≤ r ≤ .39), and postdictive validity for receiving disciplinary infractions (incident rate ratio = 1.04). These results support the PICTS-SF's use in research, and qualified use in clinical applications.

The Role of Negative Parental Influences and Criminal Thinking in Juvenile Offending Behaviors.

Previous research has established that juveniles who experience negative parental influence are more likely to engage in problem and offending behavior. Less attention has been given to the possibility that criminal thinking styles might partially explain this relationship. This study examined the negative parental influences and criminal thinking styles of 1,354 juvenile offenders to establish that both negative parental influences and criminal thinking are significantly associated with juvenile problem and offending behavior. Further, the analysis showed that juvenile criminal thinking (proactive, reactive, and general) might mediate the relationship between negative parental influences and problem behavior. Implications for such findings are discussed.