The relation between dimensions of personality and personality pathology and offence type and severity in juvenile delinquents

Abstract

In a representative sample of 142 incarcerated Dutch male juveniles, normal personality dimensions were assessed with the Big Five Inventory and pathological personality dimensions with the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology - Basic Questionnaire for Adolescents. Participants' criminal charges were derived from TULP-Youth, an official Dutch judicial registration system. Charges were categorized (against morality/against life/violent/violent with property/property) and were assigned a signal value representing their severity. Personality dimensions appear not to be related to offence type or severity. Other factors are suggested to be of greater importance, like the trajectory of criminal development and a possible neuro-maturational gap, causing sensitivity to juvenile delinquency at a certain age. Recommendations for further research are presented.

Keywords:

• young offenders
• personality
• personality pathology
• crime

Notes

1. Contact the corresponding author for further details on these analyses.