Psychosocial and Personality Characteristics of Juvenile Offenders in a Detention Centre regarding Recidivism Risk

Abstract

This study analyses the psychosocial characteristics based on recidivism risk of juvenile offenders in conditions of internment. A sample of 102 juvenile offenders (92 male, 10 female) who were serving sentences in the only detention centre in Navarra (Spain) was used. Data on sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics as well as features related to recidivism risk were collected through the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) and data on personality characteristics were obtained through the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI). The results showed that risk of reoffending was high for 21.6% of the sample, moderate for 31.4%, and low for 47.1%. Statistically significant differences were found between groups for various psychosocial and personality characteristics. In addition, the main variables related to the different risk levels of criminal recidivism were the presence/absence of history of violent behaviour, school performance, problem-solving skills, and submission as a personality trait. These four variables correctly classified 80.4% of the sample. According to the results, these variables must be considered in the development of effective intervention programmes in detention centres with juvenile offenders in order to decrease criminal reoffending rates. Características psicosociales y de personalidad de menores infractores en un centro de internamiento en función del riesgo de reincidencia R E S U M E NEn este estudio se analizan las características psicosociales de una muestra de menores infractores en un centro de internamiento en función del riesgo de reincidencia. Se evaluó una muestra de 102 menores infractores (92 varones y 10 mujeres) que cumplían una medida judicial en el único centro de internamiento de Navarra (España). Se recogió información sobre las características sociodemográficas, psicosociales y el riesgo de reincidencia a través del Inventario para la Gestión y la Intervención con Jóvenes (IGI-J), así como sobre las características de personalidad a través del Inventario Clínico de Adolescentes de Millon (MACI). Los resultados mostraron que el riesgo de reincidencia era alto para el 21.6% de la muestra, moderado para el 31.4% y bajo para el 47.1%. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los grupos en numerosas características psicosociales y de personalidad. Además, las principales variables relacionadas con los diferentes niveles de riesgo de reincidencia fueron la presencia/ausencia de una historia de conductas violentas, el rendimiento escolar, las habilidades para la solución de problemas y la sumisión como características de personalidad. Estas cuatro variables clasificaban correctamente al 80.4% de la muestra. Con arreglo a los resultados encontrados, estas variables se deben tener en cuenta en el desarrollo de programas de intervención eficaces en los centros de internamiento con menores infractores con el objetivo de disminuir la tasa de reincidencia.

Malestar psicológico y respuestas de afrontamiento al confinamiento por la COVID-19

“…The results have confirmed a significant increase in the use of avoidance strategies in a pandemic situation, specifically Cognitive avoidance (cognitive attempts to avoid thinking realistically about a problem), Acceptance or resignation (cognitive attempts to react to the problem by accepting it), Seeking alternative rewards (behavioral attempts to get involved in substitute activities and create new sources of satisfaction) and Emotional discharge (behavioral attempts to reduce tension by expressing negative feelings), in line with the literature that has pointed out the cognitive avoidance (Babore et al, 2020;Herrero et al, 2019;Vagni et al, 2020), and the emotional discharge to reduce tension through the expression of negative feelings, as the most likely resources for coping with an epidemic event (Teasdale et al, 2012). These avoidance strategies are not only ineffective, but also facilitate the appearance of psychological damage and incompetence to solve problems (APA, 2013;Brooks et al, 2019;Cacho et al, 2020;Mayorga et al, 2020).…”

Psychopathic Traits and Ability Emotional Intelligence in Incarcerated Males

“…Psychopathy has been characterized as a personality construct that combines egocentricity, callousness, failure to form close emotional bonds, proneness to low anxiety, lack of remorse, superficial charm, dishonesty, and impulsive behaviour (Cacho et al, 2020;Forth et al, 1996;Hare, 1991;Hare & Neumann, 2008). Research has shown that many of these dimensions could be predictors of criminal behaviour (Frick et al, 2003;Garofalo et al, 2020;Piatigorsky & Hinshaw, 2004).…”

Assessing Independent Life Skills of Youth in Child Protection: A MultiInformant Approach

“…The present study aimed to expand this framework by adapting and validating a staff version of the PLANEA Independent Life Skills Assessment tools and narrowing the gap in knowledge on the effectiveness of transitional support interventions for young people in care and their perceptions of independent life skills. This is especially pronounced in the Spanish context where, in contrast with the consolidated body of evidence-based practice, programs and assessment tools available in other related areas such as family intervention (De Paul et al, 2015;Rodrigo, 2016), intervention with juvenile offenders (Cacho et al, 2020), or quality evaluation in residential child care (Pérez-García et al, 2019), the specific evaluation of transitional support services is still recent and has limited its scope to gather young people's and workers' views and satisfaction (Goig & Martínez, 2019;Sevillano-Monje et al, 2021). The results of the CFAs performed in the staff versions of the three instruments studied allowed us to confirm the same internal structure found in the young people versions: three first-order factors and one second-order factor (Independent Life Skills) in the case of PLANEA-S, unidimensionality for its short version PLANEA-9-S, and two first-order factors correlated between them, showing a global score (Personal Autonomy) for PLANEA-T-S (García-Alba et al, 2021).…”