Sample Of Prisoners Research Articles

Applicability and validity of the reaction time‐based concealed information test in a prison sample

AbstractPurposeThe reaction time‐based Concealed Information Test (RT‐CIT) can be used to reveal crime‐related memories based on an analysis of response latencies in a computerized task. While laboratory research shows high validity of the RT‐CIT in student samples, only very few studies have been conducted with forensic target groups.MethodsWe investigated the applicability and validity of the RT‐CIT in prison inmates and examined the influence of a response deadline (RD) on RT‐CIT validity. In a within‐subjects design, participants memorized a criminal activity and subsequently underwent two identical RT‐CITs differing only in the length of the RD (2000 ms vs. 1000 ms). In the first experiment, the 2000 ms condition was always presented first and in the second experiment the order was switched.ResultsResults revealed large effect sizes and classification accuracies with both RDs and strong order effects with larger effects in the respective first RD conditions.ConclusionsIn sum, the RT‐CIT has the potential for detecting concealed knowledge in forensic settings and even a relatively demanding RD of 1000 ms seems feasible for such samples. Further research should extend this investigation of the RT‐CIT in forensic settings, preferably investigating the effects of faking attempts and increasing the ecological validity of the research design.

Predictive validity of the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV) in a sample of New Zealand Māori and European male prisoners.

Numerous studies have investigated the predictive validity of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL), but the majority have used samples from North America. The PCL may inform important decisions about people's futures; recognition has been growing of the importance of ensuring that its psychometric properties are established in each jurisdiction where it is used, especially for Indigenous and non-European populations. The present study examined the predictive properties of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV; Hart et al., 1995) in 371 New Zealand (NZ) male prisoners, including NZ European and NZ Māori subsamples. Discrimination analyses showed that PCL:SV total scores had moderate predictive accuracy for any new conviction within 5 years of release; no significant differences were detected for Māori versus NZ European on this outcome. PCL:SV Factor 2 (Lifestyle/Antisocial) scores were moderately predictive of violent recidivism within 5 years of release. In a second, independent sample of male prisoners (n = 102), both PCL:SV total and Factor 2 scores showed moderate predictive accuracy for serious institutional violence. Additionally, PCL:SV Facets 1 (Interpersonal) and 2 (Affective) scores were uniquely associated with time to sexual and violent recidivism, respectively. Understanding the predictive performance of clinical risk measures across diverse ethnic groups is an important step toward identifying and addressing ethnic disparities in criminal justice outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Impact of Psychological Abuse, Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, and Neglect During Childhood on Criminal Behavior among Prisoners at Forensic Mental Health Department

Introduction: Childhood maltreatment, including physical, emotional, sexual abuse, and neglect, has been consistently linked to a higher likelihood of aggressive and criminal behaviour in adulthood. This phenomenon, often referred to as the "cycle of violence," perpetuates across generations. Furthermore, victimization during childhood can lead to a broad range of mental health problems, including personality disorders, psychosis, schizophrenia, and substance abuse. These issues are particularly prevalent among individuals within the forensic mental health system. Objectives: The study aims to evaluate the impact of psychological abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect during childhood on criminal behaviour among prisoners at forensic mental health department. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to determine the impact of child abuse on criminal behaviour among prisoners in the Forensic Medicine Department. The study was during the period from December 19, 2022 to 15th of July 2024. The research has been carried out at Baghdad City's Al-Rashad Training Hospital. non-probability purposive sample procedures, this study sampling method relied on our judgment when identifying and selecting prisoners in the forensic medicine department, after their consent, who could provide the best information to achieve the objectives of the study. We choose purposive sampling because we want to focus in depth on relatively small samples (150) to get the most accurate results. a purposive sample of (110) prisoners was selected from Al-Rashad Training Hospital. Results: The findings indicate that prisoners having moderate to high level of psychological abuse during childhood among items. Prisoners having moderate to high level of physical abuse during childhood among items. The findings indicate that prisoners having moderate to high level of sexual abuse during childhood among items. The prisoners having moderate to high level of neglect during childhood among items. The prisoners have high level of criminal behaviour. There are significant relationships between (psychological, physical, sexual abuse) during childhood and criminal behaviour. Conclusions: Prisoners experience a moderate to high level of psychological abuse, physical abuse, and neglect during childhood, and the prisoners also experience a moderate to high level of sexual abuse during childhood.

Adverse effect of Abuse During Childhood on Criminal Behavior and Type of Crime among Prisoners at Forensic Mental Health Department

A quantitative approach using a descriptive-analysis design was used in the present study to find out the impact of child abuse on criminal behavior among prisoners in the forensic department. The period of the study was from 16th of October 2023 to 10th of June 2024. The study has been conducted at Al-Rashad Training Hospital which is located in of Baghdad City. Non-probability sampling techniques in which prisoners are selected because they have characteristics that we need in our sample. In other words, prisoners are selected “on purpose” as purposive sampling. Also the judgmental sampling, this sampling method relies on our judgment when identifying and selecting the prisoners that can provide the best information to achieve the study’s objectives. We choose purposive sampling because the researcher wants to focus in-depth on relatively small samples. A purposive sample of (110) prisoners was selected from Al-Rashad Training Hospital. The study sample in this research was selected from prisoners in the forensic department in the hospital. Results: Prisoners have moderate to high level of psychological abuse during childhood. They have moderate to high level of physical abuse during childhood. prisoners having moderate to high level of sexual abuse during childhood. Also they have moderate to high level of neglect during childhood. As overall prisoners have high level of abuse during childhood. prisoners having moderate to high level of criminal behavior subdomain (socialization). related to criminal behavior subdomain (Social conditions) among prisoners; the findings indicates that prisoners having moderate to high level of criminal behavior subdomain (Social conditions) among items. The findings indicates that prisoners having moderate to high level of criminal behavior subdomain (Personal and psychological circumstances) among items. Prisoners have high level of criminal behavior as overall. There is high significant relationship between Abuse during childhood and Criminal behavior at p-value= .004. There are significant relationships between (psychological, physical, sexual abuse) during childhood and criminal behavior at p-value= 0.05. There are no significant relationships between neglect during childhood and criminal behavior. There is no significant relationship between Abuse during childhood and type of crime at p-value= .05.

Criminal Genius or Everyday Villain? A Comparison of Malevolent Creativity Among Prisoners, Police Officers, and the General Population

ABSTRACTCriminals allegedly use effective novelty to intentionally exploit and harm others (creative fraud, theft, and murder). However, empirical evidence that criminals possess higher malevolent creativity than individuals without criminal backgrounds is lacking. We compared a male sample of prisoners in a maximum‐security penitentiary (n = 140), police officers (n = 122), and the general population (n = 106) on three different aspects of malevolent creativity: self‐reported malevolent creativity behavior (MCBS), willingness to engage in malevolent creativity on a test (MCT), and malevolent creativity potential on that test (reduced n = 285). Group comparisons (ANOVAs) differed for different malevolent creativity aspects: Prisoners reported more malevolent creativity behavior in daily life (MCBS) than nonprisoners, which may reflect their alleged criminal personality or the effects of confinement on creative coping with threat. However, prisoners also performed worse than police officers in generating creative ideas for taking revenge on others (MCT). No differences in initial willingness to engage in malevolent creativity (MCT) emerged. This discrepancy of self‐report and ability is discussed from several angles, including suitability of the applied measures and heterogeneity of prison populations. This study constitutes the first empirical insights into the often hypothesized but rarely tested malevolent creativity expression in the criminal mind.

Machiavellianism as a crucial Dark Tetrad trait for the prediction of life-course criminal behavior

The Dark Tetrad (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism, and sadism) is a taxonomy of personality dispositions toward immoral, antisocial, and antagonistic behavior; still, its predictive power in the domain of criminal behavior is rarely tested. In the present research, we analyzed the associations between the Dark Tetrad and several indicators of criminal behavior (onset of criminal behavior, juvenile correctional measures, problematic use of psychoactive substances [PUPS], penal recidivism, number of convictions, violent offences, and the risk of future recidivism) in a sample of Serbian prisoners (N = 471). While all dark traits were positively associated with criminal behavior indicators on a zero-order level (except violent offences), regression analyses identified Machiavellianism as the most prominent predictor. Psychopathy positively predicted PUPS, while narcissism had a negative contribution to PUPS and penal recidivism. Interactions with the participants’ sex showed that sadism represents a risk factor for females regarding early offences and PUPS, while Machiavellianism elevates the chance of repeated prison sentences for men. Finally, the structural model showed that juvenile offending mediates the association between Machiavellianism and general criminal recidivism. Findings showed the fruitfulness of assessing the Dark Tetrad traits in order to predict various aspects of criminal behavior.

Overcrowding, Drugs Abuse and Violence vs. Rehabilitation Interviews and Perceptions of a Sample of Prisoners

Based on the interviews collected and conducted during the data gathering process for the documentary "11 days: within the prison walls”, some inmates from the prison of Nerio Fischione based in Brescia (Italy) decide to share their stories to a microphone and storytellers. The voices provide a sincere look, suitable for investigating the subjective perceptions that inmates have regarding the prison environment, exploring the complexities of their experiences. What emerges from the stories is a place that is far away from the rehabilitation purpose that it should have. The enormous issue of overcrowding, drug pills treatment abuse, and, above all, the pervasive violence within the corridors of the facility. The punitive function seems to prevail and is doubly enacted: firstly, through the nature of the prison itself, and secondly, through the prison conditions that prevent from any possibility to start a positive path. This article aims to contribute to the existing academic debate providing an insight from the prisoners’ perception about their personal experience, focusing on the issues that most frequently emerge from their testimonies: the lack of significance that they experience on a daily basis.

The priorities for a prisoner are food, being able to talk to their family, and taking a shower: the experiences of prisoners placed in emergency isolation due to COVID-19 in a Catalan prison

PurposeThis study aims to learn about the experiences of inmates who experienced long periods of isolation due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Brians 1 penitentiary centre. This approach is relevant, as it sought to understand the experiences from the perspective of the prisoners during periods of isolation. The aim was to gain in-depth knowledge, based on the idiosyncrasies of this population, of their emotions and coping strategies in the prison context. This information that may be useful to prison institutions and prison primary healthcare teams to guide the organisation in future health emergencies involving the isolation of prisoners.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative interpretative phenomenological study was conducted. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 30 people who had undergone a period of isolation due to a COVID-19 outbreak in one or two of the last two outbreaks at the Brians 1 (Barcelona) prison in 2022, in the days following periods of social isolation. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using the content analysis approach, and were coded using the NVivo 12 qualitative software. The credibility and validity of the data analysed were increased through triangulation at different levels. In this study, data was collected from a heterogeneous sample of prisoners, capturing different views among the prison population.FindingsThis research gave us the opportunity to collect prisoners’ accounts of isolation due to COVID-19, in which it became clear that it conditioned the management of time and space in daily prison life. The restrictions amplified negative emotions such as anxiety, stress and restlessness and led to disruptions in communication with the outside world, daily prison activities and judicial processes. Despite these changes, the prisoners understood the imperatives of isolation and the need to adapt to the new situation for a limited period of time. Faced with the detrimental effect on their well-being, the prisoners employed coping strategies focused on emotional management, social supports and occupational engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is subject to several limitations related to the characteristics of the sample. No women participated in the study as the modules studied were exclusively for men. People with impaired cognitive abilities, were not included. With regard to the method, it is understood that conducting the interviews in the days after the isolation may have influenced the content and enthusiasm of the participants. Despite these limitations, we are confident that the data triangulation may have given us reliable insight that will further our knowledge of prisoners’ experiences in this type of situation.Originality/valueThe issue of the negative impact of restrictive measures in the prison environment has rarely been studied from the perspective of prisoners. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to provide qualitative data on the experiences of prisoners during periods of social isolation due to COVID-19 outbreaks in prisons in Catalonia (Spain). The narratives allowed the authors to determine what impact the restrictions had on the emotional well-being and daily life of the prison population, information that can help prison institutions and healthcare teams understand how prisoners experienced this type of situation. The authors were also able to carry out an in-depth study of the coping strategies used by the prisoners to deal with negative emotions during the COVID-19 outbreaks, which may serve to guide the organisation of material and human resources in future emergencies or regimented situations involving social isolation.

Exploring the intergenerational continuity of ACEs amongst a sample of Welsh male prisoners: A retrospective cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe relationship between parent and child adverse childhood experience (ACE) exposure remains underexplored, particularly within justice-involved samples. ObjectiveThis objective of the study was to examine the intergenerational continuity of ACEs within a UK prison population. Participants294 males aged 18–69 years in a Welsh prison, with father reported data for 671 children they had fathered. MethodsA face-to-face ACE questionnaire measured exposure to 10 ACE types. For each child they had fathered participants were asked to report their child's gender, age and their exposure before the age of 18 to the same ACE types, except having a household member incarcerated. FindingsPaternal ACE exposure was found to increase the risk of child ACE exposure, both to multiple ACEs and individual ACE types. Compared to children of fathers with no ACEs, those of fathers with 4+ were almost three times more likely to have been exposed to 2–3 ACEs and six times more likely to be exposed to 4+ ACEs. The risk of a child residing in a household where mental illness was present was 7.4 times higher where their father had 4+ ACEs. ConclusionFindings highlight the need for prevention interventions to break the intergenerational continuity of ACEs. Further research is needed to explore what protects against the intergenerational continuity of ACEs. Criminal justice systems and wider services need to ensure that they support those incarcerated alongside their families who are at high risk of ACEs and consequently poorer education, health and criminal justice outcomes.

Experience of Patients With Heroin Addiction Receiving Methadone Maintenance Treatment in Community Settings in Taiwan.

The World Health Organization has identified methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) as the most effective treatment for reducing patient dependence on heroin. In Taiwan, MMT has been used as a heroin harm reduction strategy since 2006. Although the effectiveness of MMT in reducing heroin addiction has been examined quantitatively in prison samples, little attention has been paid to the experiences and perspectives of patients with heroin addiction receiving MMT. This study was designed to address this gap in scientific knowledge. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of individuals struggling with heroin addiction who are receiving MMT in the community. A qualitative descriptive research approach and semistructured interviews were used in this study. We interviewed 14 participants who had received MMT in a medical center in central Taiwan. All of the interview data were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Four themes emerged: (a) a chance to change one's life, (b) the helpfulness of MMT, (c) a sense of being restricted and controlled, and (d) need for support. This article fills a gap in current scholarly understanding of patient experiences and their perspectives on the helpfulness of MMT. Understanding patient experiences and perspectives is critical to informing and developing concrete strategies for clinical practice and MMT policy. Clinical professionals should assess patient needs and concerns to determine whether they are met by current treatment programs. Policymakers should design more flexible policies to facilitate easier access by patients to methadone to reduce the risk of relapse.

Aberrant type 2 dopamine receptor availability in violent offenders with psychopathy

Psychopathy is characterized by antisocial behavior, poor behavioral control and lacking empathy, and structural alterations in the corresponding neural circuits. Molecular brain basis of psychopathy remains poorly characterized. Here we studied type 2 dopamine receptor (D2R) and mu-opioid receptor (MOR) availability in convicted violent offenders with high psychopathic traits (n = 11) and healthy matched controls (n = 17) using positron emission tomography (PET). D2R were measured with radioligand [11C]raclopride and MORs with radioligand [11C]carfentanil. Psychopathic subjects had lowered D2R availability in caudate and putamen, and striatal D2R availability was also associated with degree of psychopathic traits in this prisoner sample. No group differences were found in MOR availability, although in the prisoner sample, psychopathic traits were negatively correlated with MOR availability in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens. We conclude that D2R signaling could be the putative neuromolecular pathway for psychopathy, whereas evidence for alterations in the MOR system is more limited.

Exploring Prisoners’ Communication Strategies with their Supervisors when Studying in E-Learning Mode: A Case of Namibia

This study delves into the communication strategies used by inmates when engaging in e-learning within the confines of a Namibian prison. Despite the challenging living conditions inherent in such environments, the research posits that inmates exhibit a strong motivation to pursue further education. The rise of e-learning has opened educational opportunities for diverse populations, including those incarcerated. In Namibia, prisoners have access to education through e-learning platforms, allowing them to pursue studies and gain qualifications. However, this mode of learning presents unique challenges, particularly in communication with supervisors. The objective was to understand the challenges faced by prisoners following higher education programs in communicating with their supervisors. Method: Data was collected through interviews, situated within an interpretive paradigm. The study focused on a sample of prisoners enrolled in e-learning programs in a Namibian correctional facility. Analysis: Verbatim transcripts of audio-recorded interviews were meticulously prepared by a skilled transcriber, offering the author a comprehensive material for interpretation. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. Results: It was found that prisoners’ communication strategies with their supervisors, amongst others, included communication via-email; telephonic communication; communication via the internet and online studies, as well as through in-person appointments. Furthermore, the study contextualized its findings within the evolution of Namibia's legal system, highlighting a significant shift from punitive measures towards a rehabilitative focus on corrections and community reintegration. Namibia's legal system is rehabilitative instead of being punitive. This transformation underscores the broader societal changes in attitudes towards incarceration and highlights the importance of educational initiatives within correctional facilities.

Physical Activity and Associated Factors among Brazilian Adult Inmates: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Previous studies on health in prison facilities have determined that imprisonment has adverse effects on both physical and emotional well-being. Therefore, the introduction of public health measures is encouraged. This study aimed to (a) evaluate the levels of physical activity and the health condition of a sample of Brazilian prisoners and (b) determine the predictors of low physical activity. An observational and cross-sectional study was developed following the STROBE checklist. Data collection took place between June and November 2019 in a maximum-security Brazilian prison institution. This study's final sample included 220 people selected through convenience sampling, of which 115 (53.2%) were aged 18 to 29 years, followed by 79 (36.6%) aged 30 to 44 years and 22 (10.2%) aged 45 to 59 years old. Overall, 64.3% of participants failed to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation for physical activity [at least 150-300 min of moderate-intensity or 75 min of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week]. The majority reported unhealthy food consumption (116; 53.7%). Regarding body mass index (BMI), 50.2% of individuals were classified as eutrophic, 38.1% were overweight and 11.6% were obese. Older age (AOR: 0.95; CI95%: 0.92-0.99; p = 0.01) and sitting time (AOR: 0.74; CI95%: 0.65-0.85; p < 0.01) were associated with low adherence to physical activity. Our results highlight the importance of practicing physical activity within the prison context and the need for institutional programs that promote regular physical activity.

Healthcare governance in prisons in England: prisoners’ experiences of changes over time

ABSTRACT According to international law, prisoners should have access to healthcare on an equivalent basis to the rest of the population, and the UK Government has stated its commitment to such equivalence. Healthcare provision in English prisons has seen several reorganisations, notably in 2006 and 2013, with the stated intentions of improving healthcare provision in prisons. This article focuses on prisoners’ reported experiences over the periods of changes in healthcare governance, with the aim of identifying whether there are improvements from their perspectives. Survey data from a sample of prisoners has been collected by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for over 20 years, and these data have been used for secondary analysis of prisoners’ health needs and experiences of healthcare in English prisons. Despite the reorganisations of healthcare governance, the trends from 2003 to 2019 are of increasing health needs of prisoners and decreasing initial access, ongoing access, and quality of healthcare provision. There is little indication of any improvements experienced by prisoners from the 2006 or 2013 reorganisations. Prisoners are widely recognised as having distinct healthcare needs, but the data analysis reveals demographic differences in health needs and health access within the prison population, and an overall decline in quality and accessibility of healthcare provision in English prisons.

Predictors of substance use disorder treatment and mutual support group participation among Black women across the criminal legal spectrum: A latent class approach

BackgroundThe purpose of this study includes: 1) identifying classes of substance-related needs among Black women, and 2) examining the effect of substance-related need classes and culturally-relevant factors on Black women’s use of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and mutual support groups. MethodsAs part of a longitudinal cohort study, Black women were recruited in prison nearing release, on probation, and in the community without involvement in the criminal legal system (CLS, n=565) and followed-up at 18-months. We conducted a baseline latent class analysis of substance-related needs among Black women. Logistic regression models adjusted for culturally-relevant factors to predict the use of treatment and frequency of mutual support group participation over 18-months among Black women who use drugs. ResultsFour classes by level of needs were found: low, daily marijuana use, high mental health, and high comorbidity. During the 18-month follow-up, women characterized by the high comorbidity need class and with higher scores of religious well-being were more likely to frequently participate in mutual support groups. Non-CLS-involved women were less likely to engage with both treatment and mutual support groups than women from the prison sample at 18-months. ConclusionsThis study highlights four distinct classes of substance-related needs among Black women, highlighting the complex patterns of behavior and within-racial group differences among Black women. Black women with high comorbidity needs were more likely to participate in mutual support groups, but the latent classes did not predict SUD treatment indicating other non-medical and social contextual need factors may be at play.

Association of Health and Victimization with Discrete Group Membership in Offending Frequency: Results from a Sample of Taiwanese Male Prisoners

Association of Health and Victimization with Discrete Group Membership in Offending Frequency: Results from a Sample of Taiwanese Male Prisoners

Research on a machine learning-based adaptive and efficient screening model for psychological symptoms of community correctional prisoners.

Community correction institutions in China frequently employ the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and the health survey brief (SF-12) as primary tools for psychological assessment of community correctional prisoners. However, in practical application, the SCL-90 Checklist faces issues such as complex item numbers, overall low cultural level of the subjects, and insufficient professional level of the administrators. The SF-12 health survey brief, as a preliminary screening tool, although only has 12 questions, to some extent simplifies the evaluation process and improves work efficiency, it is prone to missed screening. The research team collected 17-dimensional basic characteristic data and corresponding SCL-90 and SF-12 data from 25,480 samples of community correctional prisoners in Zhejiang Province, China. This study explored the application of multi-label multi-classification algorithms and oversampling techniques in building machine learning models to delve into the correlation between the psychological health risks of community correctional prisoners and their characteristic data. Inspired by computerized adaptive testing (CAT), we constructed an adaptive and efficient screening model for community correctional prisoners through experimental comparisons, based on the binary relevance algorithm with sample oversampling. This screening model personalize the assessment process by dynamically matching participants with the most relevant subset (s) of the nine dimensions of the SCL-90 based on their individual characteristics. Thus, adaptive dynamic simplification and personalized recommendation of the SCL-90 scale between question groups were achieved for the specific group of community correctional prisoners. As a screening tool for psychological symptoms of community correctional prisoners, this model significantly simplifies the number of questions compared to SCL-90, with a simplification rate of up to 65%. However, it achieves this simplification while maintaining excellent performance. The accuracy reached 0.66, with a sensitivity of 0.754, and an F1 score of 0.649. This innovation simplified the assessment process, reduced the assessment time, improved work efficiency, and enhanced the ability to judge the specificity of community correctional prisoners population. Compared to the SF-12, although the simplification rate and accuracy of the model are slightly lower than those of the SF-12, the sensitivity increased by 42.26%, and the F1 score improved by 15.28%. This means the model greatly reduces the possibility of missed screening, effectively preventing prisoners with abnormal psychological or mental states from losing control due to missed screening, and even committing suicide, self injury, or injuring others.

Social preferences and psychopathy in a sample of male prisoners—a pilot study

Social decisions are influenced by a person’s social preferences. High psychopathy is defined by antisocial behaviour, but the relationship between psychopathy and social preferences remains unclear. In this study, we used a battery of economic games to study social decision-making and social preferences in relation to psychopathy in a sample of 35 male prison inmates, who were arrested for sexual and severe violent offenses (mean age = 39 years). We found no evidence for a relationship between social preferences (measured with the Dictator and Ultimatum Games, Social Value Orientation, and one-shot 2 × 2 games) and psychopathy (measured by the overall Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised score and both factors). These results are surprising but also difficult to interpret due to the small sample size. Our results contribute to the ongoing debate about psychopathy and social decision-making by providing crucial data that can be combined with future datasets to reach large sample sizes that can provide a more nuanced understanding about the relationship between psychopathy and social preferences.

The prevalence of gambling problems in prison populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The overall prevalence of gambling problems across prison populations is currently unknown. The objective of the present study was therefore to quantitatively synthetize prevalence estimates of gambling problems in prison populations using a random effects meta-analytic model and to investigate if the estimates were moderated by time frame, cut-off levels, and sample size. To be included the studies had to report original data on the prevalence of gambling problems in a prison sample and to be written in a European language, whereas data based on abstracts or qualitative reports were excluded. The search ended on December 1, 2023 and were conducted in Web of Science, PubMed, Cinahl, PsycINFO, Embase, Google Scholar, Grey Literature Report, and GreyNet. Risk of bias was assessed with a standardized 10-item measure for epidemiological studies. A total of 26 studies comprising 9,491 participants were included. The vast majority of the participants were males. The most commonly used instrument for assessment of gambling problems was the South Oaks Gambling Screen. The pooled random-effects gambling problems prevalence estimate was 30.8% (95% CI = 25.1-37.3). The meta-regression analysis showed that none of the three moderator variables (criteria, timeframe, sample size) were related to the gambling problems prevalence. Common limitations of the included studies entailed not being representative nationally or for the target population, lack of randomization, and low response rate. The meta-analysis was restricted to studies published in a European language. Overall, the studies show that 1 in 3 prisoners has gambling problems and suggests that more emphasis on relevant prevention and treatment is warranted for this population. The study was funded by the Norwegian Competence Center for Gambling and Gaming Research and pre-registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023390552).

Psychometric properties of the long and short forms of the AQ aggression questionnaire in a sample of Spanish inmates.

The Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (AQ; Buss & Perry, 1992) is a broad measurement tool used with the general public in Spain. There is some debate regarding the interpretation of AQ scores and the usefulness of a shorter version. The aim is to study and compare the psychometric properties of the long and short version of the AQ and check the reliability of the short version in a sample of male prisoners. The sample was composed of 236 incarcerated males (mean age of 40.4 years of age) from Ocaña 1 prison center who volunteered to participate in the study. The sample was selected by using the tiered random sampling technique based on the internal inmate number. A random list of possible substitutes was also included in the event of refusal to be interviewed, with replacement being discontinued in the event of two consecutive refusals. This study is a descriptive cross-sectional design. The short version of the scale demonstrated better adjustment than the long version, as indicated by the larger CFI and smaller WRMR values. The number of prison sentences was positively associated with physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger, and hostility. The coefficients were slightly higher for the short version of the scale than the long one. The short version of the AQ is a valid instrument for measuring aggressiveness in prison contexts in relation to the long version, and correlates with subscales of aggression more strongly than the long one.