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Personality dimensions and criminal arrest.

Jack Samuels1, O Joseph Bienvenu, Bernadette Cullen

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.

Comprehensive Psychiatry
|June 30, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Specific normal personality traits, like impulsiveness and hostility, are linked to a higher likelihood of criminal arrest. Conversely, traits such as trust and dutifulness correlate with a lower risk of arrest.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Criminology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Antisocial personality disorder is linked to criminal behavior.
  • The association between normal personality dimensions and arrest is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the relationship between normal personality dimensions and prior arrest in adults.
  • Examine specific personality traits associated with criminal justice involvement.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal epidemiological study of 611 adults.
  • Utilized the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) for personality assessment.
  • Cross-referenced arrest data from the Maryland criminal justice database (1981-1993).

Main Results:

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  • Higher scores on angry hostility, impulsiveness, and excitement-seeking predicted increased odds of prior arrest.
  • Higher scores on trust, straightforwardness, compliance, modesty, dutifulness, and deliberation were inversely related to prior arrest.
  • These associations remained significant after controlling for demographics, substance use disorders, and DSM-IV personality disorders.

Conclusions:

  • Specific dimensions of normal personality are significantly associated with criminal arrest.
  • Personality traits can be indicators of risk for criminal justice involvement.
  • Findings suggest personality assessment may offer insights into understanding criminal behavior.