Personality Patterns among Short-Term Prisoners Undergoing Presentence Evaluations

Abstract

The MhlPl profiles of 295 short-term prisoners undergoing presentence evaluations were cluster-analyzed, resulting in four distinct groups.These groups differed in IQ, on recidivism-related characteristics reflected in a Base Expectancy score and an estimate of extensiveness of arrest record, and on type of psychiatric-psychological recommendat~on made to the referring courts. However, they did not differ on age, educat~onal level, or the severity of their offenses. In comparing these results with those of other typological investigations of offender groups, it was tentatively concluded that these short-term prisoners being considered for probation seem less emotionally disturbed than those serving sentences for custodial or other purposes.

Personality disorder in an outpatient offender population

“…Henderson (1982) reproduced the same four clusters in an analysis of MMPI results of prisoners incarcerated for violent offences. Further studies support the occurrence of the pattern in a range of incarcerated offender populations (Holland & Holt, 1975;Widom, 1977;McGurk & McGurk, 1979;Blackburn, 1986).…”

A Theory of Homicidal Behavior Among Women*

“…But on the infrequent occasions when their inhibitions are overcome, they erupt in a display of uncontrolled aggression that is very extreme and violent. Megargee's theory has been widely tested with generally supportive results, but mainly with populations of men (Blackburn, 1968(Blackburn, , 1971(Blackburn, , 1986Holland and Holt, 1975;Lane and Kling, 1979;Lang et al, 1987;McGurk and McGurk, 1979;Walters et al, 1982).…”

Impression Management in the Ethical Self-Presentation of Offenders Undergoing Presentence Evaluation

“…However, other offender groups may not possess a similarly high level of discriminative ability; for, as mentioned previously, impression management effects appear to be inversely related to level of emotional disturbance (Watson, 1975), and the average MMPI profile for the present sample is less highly elevated than has often been observed among incarcerated offenders (Dahlstrom & Welsh, 1960). This latter trend may be due to the fact that only a minority of the present sampie wouid likely be encountered in the general prison population due to presentence recommendations for long-term confinement, and this incarcerated subgroup would be expected to have MMPI profiles suggestive of a higher level of emotional disturbance than offenders recommended for placement on probation (Holland & Holt, 1975).…”