Possible Interventions for Preventing the Development of Psychopathic Traits among Children and Adolescents?

Individuals with the combination of psychopathy and severe conduct disorder often get in a lot of trouble from their early childhood, and can cause great suffering and problems for other people and their immediate environment. Their antisocial behaviour has a tendency to develop into a chronic pattern early in life, and the treatment prognosis in adulthood is poor. A large proportion of serious violent crimes in society can be attributed to this group of perpetrators. Until recently, it has been unclear whether traits of this type can be prevented or changed, so that these individuals and their surroundings can benefit from targeted treatments at an early stage. To reduce serious crime in a society, it is very important to develop effective measures for this particular group. A lack of empathy, indifference to others, and a lack of concern about their own performance appear to be key early signs in children and adolescents with persistent behavioural problems and more serious norm violations who continue into a criminal career upon reaching adulthood. These characteristics have been termed callous−unemotional (CU) traits, and they are considered to be a precursor to psychopathic traits in adulthood. In recent years, several studies have evaluated the degree to which treatments that have been proved effective for children and adolescents with severe behavioural problems also show effectiveness for children and adolescents with CU traits. Interventions specifically tailored to children with CU traits have also been developed with the aim of directly changing the ongoing development of this precursor to psychopathy. In this paper, we will address the extent to which current evidence-based treatment methods developed for children and adolescents with behavioural difficulties are equally effective when a child has CU traits. We will also take a closer look at the effects of interventions designed to change this trait. There will be a discussion regarding what seems relevant for a change in the trait itself, as well as a change in their antisocial behaviour.

Testing Two Theories of Criminal Careers: A Criminal Career Profile Approach

<p>Criminal career research has emerged as a field interested in determining the factors related to the onset, frequency, duration, maintenance, and desistance of criminal behaviour (Blumstein & Cohen, 1987; Blumstein, Cohen, & Farrington, 1988). Various theories have been developed to account for these components of the criminal career, and the present research aims to examine the desistance components of two such theories in a sample of high risk adult offenders. Looking first at Moffitt’s (1993) adolescencelimited/ life-course persistent perspective, and then at Laub and Sampson’s (1993; Sampson & Laub, 2005) theory of informal social controls, there is limited evidence that either frequency of conviction or criminal career seriousness in high risk adult offenders can be explained well by reference to either of these theories alone. Although components of each theory appear to have some support within this sample, it is important to note that the prediction of future seriousness appears to be particularly difficult. Implications of these findings are discussed, with particular reference to policy concerns and areas for additional research.</p>

Testing Two Theories of Criminal Careers: A Criminal Career Profile Approach

<p>Criminal career research has emerged as a field interested in determining the factors related to the onset, frequency, duration, maintenance, and desistance of criminal behaviour (Blumstein & Cohen, 1987; Blumstein, Cohen, & Farrington, 1988). Various theories have been developed to account for these components of the criminal career, and the present research aims to examine the desistance components of two such theories in a sample of high risk adult offenders. Looking first at Moffitt’s (1993) adolescencelimited/ life-course persistent perspective, and then at Laub and Sampson’s (1993; Sampson & Laub, 2005) theory of informal social controls, there is limited evidence that either frequency of conviction or criminal career seriousness in high risk adult offenders can be explained well by reference to either of these theories alone. Although components of each theory appear to have some support within this sample, it is important to note that the prediction of future seriousness appears to be particularly difficult. Implications of these findings are discussed, with particular reference to policy concerns and areas for additional research.</p>

Organised crime and criminal careers: findings from an Australian sample

A growing number of international studies have shown members of organised crime groups have different criminal career trajectories to volume crime offenders. This study analysed the recorded criminal histories of a sample of 3,007 individuals affiliated with known organised crime groups. Trajectory analysis revealed four distinct offending trajectories, differentiated by their onset, peak and frequency of offending. Consistent with overseas studies, there was a large group of late-onset offenders. Groups also differed in offending versatility, seriousness and escalation. Further analysis, including of offence types, revealed that individuals varied in their criminal careers prior to their involvement in organised crime offending, indicative of the different recruitment pathways that exist.

Non-intimate Relationships and Psychopathic Interpersonal and Affective Deficits as Risk Factors for Criminal Career: A Comparison Between Sex Offenders and Other Offenders

Sex-offenders are at risk of criminal recidivism. For the treatment to be truly effective, it must be individualized. For this purpose, an accurate assessment should focus on criminological, psychological, and psychopathological features. The present study compared sex offenders with other offenders on historical experiences (i.e., problems with violence, anti-social behaviors, problems with personal relationships, problems with substance use, traumatic experiences, and parenting style). In addition, given the association between life events and psychopathy, we explored whether the relation between life events and crime type (sexual crime vs. other types of crime) might be moderated by psychopathy traits (interpersonal and affective deficits and antisocial behavior). Eighty-eight sex offenders (76% of whom child molesters) and 102 other offenders were included. The Historical, Clinical and Risk Management - 20 item Version 3 (HCR-20V3) and Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) were administered. The scores of the HCR-20V3 Historical scale items were computed to assess life events. The scores of the PCL-R factors, F1 Interpersonal affective deficits and F2 Antisocial behavior, were recorded. The presence of a history of problems with non-intimate relationships was the only significant risk factor for sexual crime compared with other crimes. Interpersonal and affective deficits provided an increased likelihood of being sex offenders as compared with other offenders when problems with non-intimate relationships were possibly/partially or certainly present.

Criminal Careers Prior to Recruitment into Italian Organized Crime

Despite growing evidence about heterogeneous pathways leading individuals into organized crime, there is limited knowledge about the differences in the criminal career between individuals who entered criminal organizations in their youth and those who joined at an older age. This study assesses the differences between early and late recruits in the Italian mafias through logistic regressions considering several criminal career parameters computed on the period prior to recruitment. Results show that recruitment in the mafias is far from a homogenous process. Early recruits report an early criminal onset, lower educational attainment, more serious offenses within a shorter time-span, and more frequent violent co-offending; late recruits show a later onset, more prolific and versatile—but less serious—offending.

Risk Factors of Early Adolescence in the Criminal Career of Polish Offenders in the Light of Life Course Theory

Life course theory (LCT) diagnoses childhood and adolescent factors that determine an individual’s involvement in crime in the future. Farrington lists eight key correlates identified by empirical analyses of criminal careers. In this paper, we seek to discuss the inconsistencies with LCT that we observed in our three empirical studies of the criminal careers of Polish offenders. During 12 years of qualitative research, we conducted direct observations and in-depth interviews in juvenile correction institutions (21) and prisons (8) across the country. We gained access to incarcerated (102) and released (30) juvenile offenders, as well as to incarcerated (68) and released (28) adult offenders. We also conducted in-depth interviews (92) with experts working with young and adult offenders. We similarly accessed some offenders’ criminal records and psychological opinions. Our study revealed the strong presence of family and neighborhood influences on early criminality. Contrary to LCT assumptions, state-dependent institutions (military, work, family) were not strong enough determinants of delinquency. Polish offenders generally experience criminal onset later than LCT-oriented criminologists indicate. Based on our data, we also agree with the thesis that the onset of crime should be discussed as different age-related periods rather than just a general onset.

General Offending and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration in Young Adulthood: A Dutch Longitudinal Study

This study examines the relationship between general offending and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration in young adulthood, using a Dutch longitudinal study. Young adults were followed over four waves, and self-reported data on general offending, IPV perpetration, and a number of individual characteristics were collected. Results of random effects models demonstrated that young adults involved in more diverse offending behavior reported higher levels of different types of IPV perpetration, even when individual factors were taken into account. Moreover, logistic regression analyses showed that general offending was also related to an increased likelihood of continuity in IPV perpetration. Taken together, the findings indicate that it is useful to view IPV perpetration as part of a broader criminal career.

Survival of the Recidivistic? Revealing Factors Associated with the Criminal Career Length of Multiple Homicide Offenders

Relying on a sample of 1,381 US-based multiple homicide offenders (MHOs), we study the duration of the careers of this extremely violent category of offenders through Kaplan–Meier estimation and Cox Proportional Hazard regression. We investigate the characteristics of such careers in terms of length and we provide an inferential analysis investigating correlates of career duration. The models indicate that MHOs employing multiple methods, younger MHOs and MHOs that acted in more than one US state have higher odds of longer careers. When controlling for career-based attributes, female MHOs are also correlated with longer careers.