NCJ Number
143485
Journal
Individual Psychology Volume: 45 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1989) Pages: 289-299
Date Published
1989
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This exploratory study attempted to demonstrate that early recollections (ER's) of mentally ill homeless men with criminal histories may be directly related to their experiences as criminal offenders and may also predict their potential for future criminal behavior.
Abstract
Study participants were all residents of a New York City shelter for homeless men. In addition, they were enrolled in an onsite day treatment program. Of 30 subjects studied, 13 had affective disorders, 14 had schizophrenic disorders, and seven had other disorders. Each subject was interviewed alone for a 30-minute period and was asked to relay his ER's. Subjects recounted 90 ER's and 65 crimes. The ER's were mostly negative in nature, reflecting the extent of subjects' present crises and their early living situations. With negative ER's, such as those involving conflict, loneliness, defiance of authority, or victimization, there was a 76-percent chance that subjects would also be convicted of crimes. Of those convicted, 92 percent also reported negative ER's. 22 references and 4 tables