Criminal Involvement of Female Offenders - Psychological Characteristics Among Four Groups

• NCJ Number: 75876
• Journal: Criminology Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Dated: (February 1981) Pages: 471-480
• Author(s): B D Townes; J James; D C Martin
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 10 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1 R01 DA 00918-10
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The results of an investigation of relationships between psychological characteristics and type of criminal involvement are reported.

Abstract

Subjects in this study were female offenders with offense histories in the areas of (1) prostitution, (2) addiction and prostitution, (3) addiction, and (4) other offenses. The first group was composed of 63 subjects; the second included 64; the third, 69; and the fourth, 66. The subjects were administered the Wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS), the Minnesota Multiphasic Inventory (MMPI), and category, trail making, and tactual performance tests. Results of the WAIS, category, trail making, and tactual performance tests indicated that no differences existed among the groups of subjects and that all of the groups were functioning within the normal range of the general population. MMPI results indicated that female addicts were more sociopathological and experienced greater social discomfort than nonaddicted offenders. Prostitutes scored somewhat higher on the masculine-feminine scale than nonprostitutes. No differences between criminal activity characteristics and personality traits were found for any group. The results of this investigation are similar to those found in studies with male offenders. Tabular data and 27 references are included. (Author abstract modified)