Male Violent Offenders Research Articles

Negative emotionality and aggression in violent offenders: The moderating role of emotion dysregulation

PurposeThe present study sought to examine the independent and interactive contribution of negative emotionality and emotion dysregulation in predicting levels of physical aggression among violent offenders. MethodsA sample of 221 male violent offenders incarcerated in Italian prisons completed self-report measures of trait emotionality, emotion dysregulation, and trait aggression. Hierarchical multiple regression and simple slopes analyses with bootstrapping were used to test the study hypotheses. ResultsNegative emotionality was positively linked to physical aggression, whereas positive emotionality had a negative relation with physical aggression. Emotion dysregulation explained incremental variance in physical aggression, with a unique contribution of negative urgency. Negative urgency moderated the relation between negative emotionality and physical aggression, such that the positive association between negative emotionality and physical aggression was significant only at medium and high levels – but not at low levels – of negative urgency. ConclusionsThese findings provide empirical evidence for, and possible ground for integration of, traditional and modern theories of aggression and criminal behavior, corroborating the hypotheses of DeLisi and Vaughn's (2014) temperament-based theory of antisocial behavior. Further, these findings suggest that treatments for violent offenders should target emotion regulation skills to reduce aggressive tendencies in the presence of negative emotionality.

Alexithymia among Perpetrators of Violent Offences in Australia: Implications for Rehabilitation

ObjectiveAlexithymia, which involves difficulties identifying, communicating, and thinking about emotions, could be an important factor in violent offending. Our aim with the current study was to explore the levels of alexithymia among perpetrators of different types of violence (i.e., general and intimate partner) in Australia to better understand their treatment needs.MethodSeventy‐nine male general violent offenders incarcerated in Western Australian prisons, 31 male intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators from IPV intervention programs, and 80 men from the general community completed the 20‐item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS‐20).ResultsGeneral violent offenders and IPV perpetrators both scored significantly higher than men from the general community on total alexithymia score and the subscales that measure difficulty identifying and describing feelings; the violent groups did not differ from the general community on externally oriented thinking style. There was no significant difference between the general violent offenders and IPV perpetrators on the total alexithymia score or any of the three subscales of the TAS‐20.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that perpetrators of violence in Australia have higher levels of alexithymia than non‐offending men, and that alexithymia should be assessed in the treatment of violent offenders. Our findings also suggest both types of violent offenders have similar alexithymia profiles and that both have difficulties identifying and describing their emotions.

Mental health among young adults in prison: the importance of childhood-onset conduct disorder.

BackgroundThe psychiatric health burden of prisoners is substantial. However, there is a lack of high-quality studies of psychiatric disorders among young adults with a high risk of reoffending.AimsTo investigate the lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders and use of mental health services among young male violent offenders and the impact of childhood-onset conduct disorder (COCD).MethodA nationally representative cohort (n = 270, age 18–25) of male offenders was followed back in medical records and clinically assessed by gold standard methods. Lifetime prevalences are presented together with odds ratios (ORs) as risk estimates in relation to COCD.ResultsPrevious use of psychiatric services among the participants was high but their lifetime psychiatric morbidity was even higher, with 93% meeting criteria for at least one Axis I disorder. The COCD group was overrepresented in most clinical categories and carried five times higher odds (OR = 5.1, 95% CI 2.0–12.8) of a psychotic disorder, three times higher odds (OR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.2–8.5) of a substance use disorder and two times higher odds of a mood disorder (OR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.3–4.0) or anxiety disorder (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.1–3.5).ConclusionsThe mental health burden is substantial among young violent offenders, and COCD is an important indicator of future mental health problems which must be a priority for public health efforts.Declaration of interestNone.Copyright and usage© The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license.

Aggressive Antisocial Behaviors Are Related to Character Maturity in Young Swedish Violent Offenders Independent of ADHD.

Antisocial personality and psychopathic traits have constantly been found to accompany criminal and aggressive behaviors, but little attention has been given to aspects of character maturity and its relation to such behaviors. The present study investigated (1) whether level of character maturity (low, medium, and high) is associated with amount of aggressive antisocial behaviors (AABs) and psychopathic traits in young men imprisoned for violent criminality, and (2) whether such an association is independent of coexisting attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Swedish males (N = 270, aged 18-25) sentenced to prison for violent and/or sexual criminality in the western region of the Swedish Prison and Probation Service underwent a thorough clinical examination during their incarceration. Data on character maturity, as measured by the character dimensions Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness of the Temperament and Character Inventory, were available for n = 148 subjects and were used to divide these offenders into three groups with low, medium, and high character maturity. These groups were then compared for variables reflecting criminal history, a DSM-IV diagnosis of ADHD, conduct disorder (CD) and substance use disorders (SUD), aggressive behaviors, and psychopathic traits. Character maturity was consistently associated with less AABs and psychopathic personality traits; the group with the highest character maturity showed: (i) a later age at onset of criminality, (ii) a smaller number of prior violent criminal acts, (iii) lower prevalence of ADHD, CD, and SUD, (iv) less self-rated and expert-rated aggressive behaviors, and (v) less psychopathic traits. The association between character maturity and aggressive behaviors/psychopathic personality traits remained even when ADHD was controlled for. The only exception was sexual criminality, where the group with the highest character maturity contained the largest amount of sexual offenders. Higher character maturity appeared to be a protective factor among young male violent offenders, associated with less AABs, suggesting that character maturity is a promising target for treatment interventions for this group of individuals.

Offenders in emerging adulthood: School maladjustment, childhood adversities, and prediction of aggressive antisocial behaviors.

Early psychosocial adversities and maladjustment, such as childhood maltreatment and school adjustment problems, have been linked to an increased risk of aggressive antisocial behaviors. Yet, clinical studies of subjects at the highest risk of persistence in such behaviors are rare, especially during the life-changing transition years of emerging adulthood. This study describes early predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors in a large, nationally representative cohort of Swedish, male violent offenders in emerging adulthood (age range = 18-25 years; N = 270). First, data on psychosocial background characteristics and aggressive antisocial behaviors (including age at onset) are provided. Second, early predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors are tested in bivariate and multivariate interactive models. The offenders demonstrated a diversity of early onset adversities and disruptive behaviors, in line with established risk factors for subsequent criminality and adverse outcomes in a variety of life domains. Severe school adjustment problems, especially bullying others and early onset truancy, were important and interrelated predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors over the lifetime, whereas childhood adversities such as parental substance or alcohol abuse and repeated exposure to violence at home during childhood were interrelated predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors, albeit with less statistical importance. The findings stress the importance of early identification of individuals in the risk zone of developing severe and persistent aggressive antisocial behaviors and of early preventive interventions directed toward families with high-risk profiles. The findings also provide initial guidelines on which psychosocial background risk factors that need to be considered first-hand in early interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record

Treatment Gain in Violent Offenders: The Relationship Between Proximal Outcomes, Risk Reduction and Violent Recidivism

This study examines whether change in dynamic risk factors and other treatment targets over the course of violent offender treatment is associated with a reduction in violent recidivism. Data from 82 adult male violent offenders who attended a prison-based violence treatment programme were collected via retrospective file review. Therapeutic change was assessed by comparing pre- and post-treatment Violence Risk Scale (VRS) scores, ratings of denial and minimisation of violence, level of victim awareness, and motivation to change. Completion of offender treatment is found to be associated with significant change on all proximal outcome measures (i.e. reduction in dynamic risk and minimisation of violence, and increased victim empathy). However, these changes do not translate into reductions in reoffending; only one measure of within-treatment change – enhancement of victim awareness – is (negatively) associated with recidivism. These results suggest that caution is required when considering the impact of change in a restricted range of treatment targets on violent recidivism. Future research should focus on identifying reliable indicators of within-treatment change to aid idiographic assessments of violence risk and to elucidate mechanism of change.

An exploration of clients’ experiences of group therapy

Purpose– Much previous research has explored the impact of group work on the therapist. The purpose of this paper is to examine how group members tolerate the powerful material discussed in groups in a prison-based therapeutic community. The authors briefly describe the regime at HMP Grendon and previous research into the impact of group work on therapists.Design/methodology/approach– A qualitative approach using a focus group was used to explore the impact of group work from the perspective of the group members. Themes emerging from the focus group were analysed using thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006). Participants included adult male violent and sexual offenders (n=10). The focus group was facilitated by two therapists, both based within HMP Grendon.Findings– Overarching themes emerged from the data which included – the type of material that has an impact on residents; the impact of this material on group members; and how residents manage it. A series of subthemes within these were identified, with salient themes including: the difficulty in listening to others offence histories and past experiences, managing the feelings of guilt and shame which can be overwhelming, feeling vulnerable/exposed, experiencing positive feelings for the first time as well as the benefits of therapy in eliciting change.Research limitations/implications– Uniquely the current study explores the impact of group therapy from the perspective of the group members. This is a previously unexplored area of research. As the study was conducted on a prison sample, it is unclear how well the findings would generalise to other populations. As such it is recommended that further research be conducted to validate the findings here.Practical implications– The present study indicates that group members process transference and counter-transference similar to therapists. It is suggested that therapists can use these findings to build resilience in group members.Originality/value– Previous research has described the impact of group work on therapists, uniquely this paper goes on to describe how group members process the material they are exposed to and how they manage their heightened emotions rather than acting on them. This should help therapists consider how best to develop resilience in group members.

The impact of pre-treatment responsivity and treatment participation on violent recidivism in a violent offender sample

ABSTRACTThis study assessed whether pre-treatment responsivity (psychopathy, motivation to attend treatment, denial and minimisation of offending behaviour, and feelings of guilt or shame) predicted violent recidivism and/or moderated the effectiveness of a violence intervention programme. Participants were 114 male violent offenders who were referred to a structured violent offender group treatment programme; 84 offenders commenced the programme. Results showed that treatment completion did not have a significant main effect on recidivism but that psychopathy scores moderated the effects of treatment. Offenders with high scores on the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV) who were rated as having good engagement with treatment, or who completed treatment, had similar violent recidivism rates compared to offenders with low PCL:SV scores. In contrast, offenders with high PCL:SV scores who dropped out of treatment or were poorly engaged had significantly higher rates of violent recidivism. These findings indicate that treatment effectiveness could be enhanced, and greater reductions in recidivism achieved, if programmes find ways to engage and maintain psychopathic offenders in treatment.

To marry a thief? Crime type as a deterrent to cohabitation

Using a vignette study, we investigated the relative attractiveness as cohabitation partners of five different types of offenders, male as well as female. Respondents advised a hypothetical person whether he or she should start cohabiting with his or her partner who had offended once. Gender and type of offence were systematically varied. Our findings suggest that violent offenders are equally attractive as serious property offenders. Against expectation, perpetrators of relational violence are not rated as less attractive than other violent offenders, even if they are male, and also when females are the raters. Male violent offenders are rated as less attractive cohabitation partners than female violent offenders. Sex offenders are the least attractive cohabitation partners, particularly those who had offended against a child. Crime type matters: sex offending impacted consistently negatively on cohabitation advice. This effect may be partly due to the fact that many regard sex offenders as incurable and ‘deviant.’ Violent offending did not elicit markedly negative advice. Perhaps it was considered less of a risk because of the message in the vignette that the prospective cohabitants had a good relationship. It may also be that many young people have been in a fight or have slapped someone in their lives, and, therefore, downplay the seriousness of this offence.

The effect of gender on the outcome of forensic psychiatric assessment in Sweden: A case vignette study.

Previous research suggests that female violent offenders at risk of a prison sentence are more likely than their male counterparts to be assessed as having mental health problems of a nature or degree that would lead to a court requirement for hospital treatment. To test the hypothesis that there is bias towards hospital disposal of female compared with male violent offenders with mental disorder. In Sweden, the National Board of Forensic Medicine oversees all assessments of mental disorder for the criminal courts. Twenty-six Board appointed forensic psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers each independently assessed six case vignettes for fit with criteria for 'severe mental disorder', a prerequisite for hospital disposal from court. Each gender neutral vignette described a person who had been convicted of serious assault and had a major mental disorder. A gender was then assigned to each offender randomly within a block design, thus varying between sets. Participants were blind to the main aim of the study and the gender variation. There was no significant association between gender of the person assessed and judgement that s/he had a 'severe mental disorder'. An offender depicted as having mental retardation was more likely to be assessed as at high risk of criminal recidivism if portrayed as female, regardless of the sex, place of work or level of experience of the assessor. We found no evidence of gender bias in determining appropriateness of a hospital disposal of an offender with mental disorder. The difference in assessment of recidivism according to sex of the patient was only in relation to mental retardation; further research would be needed to able to interpret this. As researchers in other countries have reported gender bias in disposals from court, our findings may provide support for a centralised forensic psychiatric assessment board and formal, on-going training. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Shame and violence in ‘Starred Up’

Shame plays a powerful role in triggering violence, sometimes with fatal consequences. It is fundamentally important to understand and treat the roots of this aggression and its links to an internal sense of shame. In this paper, I will discuss the contribution of forensic psychotherapy to this project and link it to the excellent depiction of violence, shame and the development of insight and impulse control through psychotherapeutic work in the powerful film, ‘Starred Up’, written by Jonathan Asser and directed by David Mackenzie. At the 2015 Birkbeck summer conference, I was asked to speak to the themes of the film and relate them to my work with violent male offenders and their psychotherapeutic treatment. As a clinical and forensic psychologist and forensic psychotherapist, I have been heavily involved in assessing and treating men and women with violent histories in prisons, mental health services and community settings over the past 25 years. I see the film through the lens of forensic psychotherapy, filtered by my own clinical encounters. I discuss its main themes in relation to the challenges and possibilities of the therapists who work with men with entrenched violence and the underlying issues at stake for the men themselves.

Lower Monoamine Oxidase-A Total Distribution Volume in Impulsive and Violent Male Offenders with Antisocial Personality Disorder and High Psychopathic Traits: An [11C] Harmine Positron Emission Tomography Study

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) often presents with highly impulsive, violent behavior, and pathological changes in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and ventral striatum (VS) are implicated. Several compelling reasons support a relationship between low monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A), an enzyme that regulates neurotransmitters, and ASPD. These include MAO-A knockout models in rodents evidencing impulsive aggression and positron emission tomography (PET) studies of healthy subjects reporting associations between low brain MAO-A levels and greater impulsivity or aggression. However, a fundamental gap in the literature is that it is unknown whether brain MAO-A levels are low in more severe, clinical disorders of impulsivity, such as ASPD. To address this issue, we applied [(11)C] harmine PET to measure MAO-A total distribution volume (MAO-A VT), an index of MAO-A density, in 18 male ASPD participants and 18 age- and sex-matched controls. OFC and VS MAO-A VT were lower in ASPD compared with controls (multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA): F2,33=6.8, P=0.003; OFC and VS MAO-A VT each lower by 19%). Similar effects were observed in other brain regions: prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, dorsal putamen, thalamus, hippocampus, and midbrain (MANOVA: F7,28=2.7, P=0.029). In ASPD, VS MAO-A VT was consistently negatively correlated with self-report and behavioral measures of impulsivity (r=-0.50 to -0.52, all P-values<0.05). This study is the first to demonstrate lower brain MAO-A levels in ASPD. Our results support an important extension of preclinical models of impulsive aggression into a human disorder marked by pathological aggression and impulsivity.

Judith A. Ryder: Girls &amp; Violence: Tracing the Roots of Criminal Behavior

Judith A. Ryder’s book, Girls & Violence: Tracing the Roots of Criminal Behavior is a qualitative study looking at 24 female juvenile violent offenders adjudicated and remanded to custody in New York in the mid 1990’s. Ryder examines the problems with this particular demographic to explain female violence. She includes quotes that show female juvenile violent offenders described as monsters due to societal views of women and violence. The book uses attachment theory to address why the girls commit violent crime as well as show that they are not particularly monstrous. Additionally, Ryder offers ideas for policy changes that could address the unique psychological needs of female violent offenders. In the introduction, Ryder gives the reader a broad overview of female juvenile violent offenders’ problems, some of the background issues that could explain their reasons for offending, and statistical information on the qualitative sample that she used. She explains that the background trauma and abuse the girls experienced could explain why they offended. She does, however, simultaneously state that female juvenile violent offenders should not be seen as monstrous in comparison to their male counterparts, but that female juvenile violent offenders should be assessed differently from violent male juvenile offenders specifically because of their different backgrounds. Ryder begins her argument in chapter two by laying the foundations of attachment theory. Her basic premise is that the female juvenile violent offenders experience impaired bonding when psychological needs are not met and, as a result, act out in violent behaviors as an avoidant coping mechanism when later attachment problems manifest themselves. Ryder indicates that, generally, females use self-harm or drug and alcohol abuse as coping mechanisms; but those coping mechanisms can, in some female juvenile violent offenders, lead to violence as well. She concludes the chapter by proposing that violent behavior should be viewed as a consequence of abandonment and other attachment issues. The next chapter addresses attachment theory’s argument that the early attachments that children form with the primary caregivers affect them throughout the rest of their lives. When children are unable to form secure attachments to their primary caregivers, the children can display early signs of problems like the inability to handle different emotional states. Ryder uses this chapter as the first direct link between attachment theory and her qualitative sample. The girls interviewed for this indicated that they had insecure relationships with their mothers. They appeared incapable of interacting on an emotional level with their mothers and frequently chose to remain silent instead of expressing how they were feeling or attempting to work out their problems with anyone else. Most of the girls’ senses of emotional security were unstable and demonstrated a lack of basic family support. Subsequent chapters link other early childhood experiences, primarily trauma, in the sample to outcomes of violence. In chapter four, Ryder shows that the girls also experienced serious childhood traumas and exposure to violence. Many of the girls recounted early exposure to violence, such as fist fights and other physical abuses. All of the girls reported dealing with sexual harassment and sexual advances from adults around them as well as family members. Additionally, several of the girls experienced sexual violence. In addition to primary victimization, the & Ashley L. Hemsath ahemsath@indiana.edu

Regional homogeneity of resting-state brain abnormalities in violent juvenile offenders: a biomarker of brain immaturity?

The authors investigated whether male violent juvenile offenders demonstrate any differences in local functional connectivity indicative of delayed maturation of the brain that may serve as a biomarker of violence. Twenty-nine violent juvenile offenders and 28 age-matched controls were recruited. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) method was used to analyze resting-state magnetic resonance images. Violent offenders showed significantly lower ReHo values in the right caudate, right medial prefrontal cortex, and left precuneus, and higher values in the right supramarginal gyrus than the controls. These regions had both high sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing between the two groups suggesting that dysfunction in these regions can be used to correctly classify those individuals who are violent. Dysfunction in the right medial prefrontal-caudate circuit may, therefore, represent an important biomarker of violence juvenile males.

The relationship between aggressive behaviour in prison and violent offending following release

Aggression during incarceration impacts on parole release decisions. However, research examining the link between aggressive behaviour in custody and violence post-release is limited, particularly in relation to adult violent offenders. Several factors complicate the use of institutional aggression as a marker of risk for future violence, including environmental causes of aggressive behaviour and adaptation to prison. This study explored the association between aggressive behaviour in prison and violent recidivism post-release in a sample of 148 adult male violent offenders. Prisoners with three or more aggressive incidents recorded in prison incurred a violent charge more often and sooner after release than those with no aggressive incidents, when controlling for age, ethnicity, length of incarceration and risk for future violence. Subjects with one or two aggressive incidents were not at increased risk of violent recidivism. These findings suggest that institutional aggression can be used to identify individuals at risk of violence following release but only when repeated aggressive behaviour is evident. Importantly, some prisoners who were not aggressive in prison were charged with violent offences post-release and some prisoners with three or more aggressive incidents were not violent following release, highlighting the complexity of using in-prison aggression as a marker for violent recidivism.

Violent Offenders’ Within-Treatment Change in Anger, Criminal Attitudes, and Violence Risk: Associations with Violent Recidivism

This study aimed to examine the recidivist outcomes for a group of incarcerated violent offenders, based on whether they achieved pre-post raw psychometric change, reliable change, and/or clinically significant change (CSC) following treatment completion. Participants included 42 adult male violent offenders (age range 21 to 67 years) who participated in a medium- or high-intensity, group-based violent offender treatment program offered within prisons, operated by Corrections Victoria. These men were followed in the community for an average of 3.9 years post-release, and were assessed on four risk-related variables pre- and post-treatment: General Criminal Thinking (GCT), Trait Anger (T-Ang), Anger Expression/Out (AX/O), and Overall Violence Risk (OVR). Mean levels of GCT and OVR significantly reduced following treatment; no significant changes in T-Ang and AX/O were observed. Although a small proportion of offenders achieved reliable and/or CSC, within-treatment changes were not predictive of violent recidivism. This article describes, critiques, and tests methods of intra-individual within-treatment change and provides a blueprint for future analyses linking intra-individual change and violent reoffending.

Does Gender Change Things? Analysis of the Difference Between Male and Female Violent Crime for Solo and Co-Offenders

Abstract The narrowing of the gender gap among violent male and female offenders has led to inquiry of the relationship between gender and violent co-offending relationships. This study examines the relationship between offender/offense and victim characteristics to offender categories: solo or co-offender, offender categories according to number and gender, and the presence of a female offender (no female, one female, or two females) using official National Incident-Based Reporting System data. The findings indicate that co-offenders were significantly more likely than solo offenders to have multiple victims. Incidents involving at least one female offender are more likely to have multiple victims and at least one female victim. Several factors were significantly related to incidents involving more severe offenses: a lack of the presence of a female offender, co-offenders, suspected weapon use, an offender who is a minority, male victim, victim is not related to the offender(s), and a solo victim. As the...

Subtypes of Severely Mentally Ill Violent Offenders in a Spanish Forensic Psychiatric Hospital

Conduct disorder (CD) prior to age 15 identifies a subgroup of men with severe mental illness (SMI) who present a high risk for violence that persists across the life span. The present study examined male violent offenders with SMI in a forensic hospital in Spain, comparing those with SMI+CD and those without SMI-CD on the HCR-20 and PCL:SV. Violent offenders with SMI+CD obtained higher HCR-20 and PCL: SV total scores, and much higher H and factor 2 scores as compared to those without prior CD. Men with SMI+CD present a challenge to forensic psychiatric services.

Affective empathy differs in male violent offenders with high- and low-trait psychopathy.

This study investigated affective and cognitive empathic processes in incarcerated violent offenders with lower and higher psychopathic traits and healthy controls. Participants witnessed painful expressions of others displayed on video clips. Skin conductance responses (SCR) were recorded to assess autonomic emotional arousal, and various empathy ratings were used as measures of self-reported vicarious responses. Reduced SCRs occurred during the observation of pain in others in lower and higher psychopathic-trait participants alike, compared to controls. Despite these diminished autonomic responses indicating reduced vicarious responses, only inmates with higher psychopathic traits provided empathy ratings comparable to those of the controls. These findings indicate that violent offenders display reduced autonomic arousal in response to distress cues of others, irrespective of psychopathy. However, only higher psychopathic-trait offenders were able to provide self-report in a way that let them appear to be as empathic as controls-enabling them to know, yet not to feel, what others feel.

Blame attribution and guilt feelings in violent offenders

Offenders with high psychopathic traits and/or antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are hypothesised to experience less guilt and less responsibility for their actions than offenders without these problems. These hypotheses were tested and partly substantiated. The study investigates blame attributions and guilt feeling using Gudjonsson Blame Attribution Inventory–Revised (GBAI-R) for 177 young male violent offenders. GBAI scores were compared to ASPD and psychopathy according to the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised. Results showed that individuals with ASPD and those with higher degrees of psychopathy tended to report significantly less guilt and higher degree of mental control than other subjects. Another finding was a weak relationship between ASPD, high scores on psychopathic traits and external attribution. We suggest these results might be explained by admitting poor mental control may be extra difficult for individuals belonging to either of these groups and that the external attribution items do not separate causal from moral responsibility.