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MEASUREMENT AND PREDICTION OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND RECIDIVISM - THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEPRIVATION SCALE (EDS) AND THE MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR RECORD (MBR)

NCJ Number
10889
Author(s)
W O JENKINS; M C BARTON
Date Published
1972
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT INCLUDES THE DESCRIPTION, APPLICATION, AND VALIDATION OF TWO INSTRUMENTS FOR THE PREDICTION OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND RECIDIVISM.
Abstract
THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEPRIVATION SCALE (EDS) FOCUSES ON ENVIRONMENTAL INPUT AND SUPPORT TO THE INDIVIDUAL FROM SIGNIFICANT PERSONS, OCCUPATIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS, THE MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR RECORD (MBR) ON THE INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND DEVIANCIES. DATA FOR THE 16 ITEMS OF EACH INSTRUMENT ARE COLLECTED IN A BEHAVIORALLY ORIENTED, INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH INTERVIEW REQUIRING ABOUT ONE HOUR. PREDICTIVE VALIDITY WAS ESTABLISHED AGAINST THE CRITERION OF LAW VIOLATION AND RECIDIVISM IN A SAMPLE OF 229 RELEASED OFFENDERS IN STUDY COVERING THREE YEARS. THE EDS AND MBR NOT ONLY HIGH PREDICTIVE VALIDITY FOR LAW-VIOLATING BEHAVIOR AND RECIDIVISM, BUT PROVIDE A PRECISE SPECIFICATION OF AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND BEHAVIOR DEFICIT AND EXCESS IN WHICH INTERVENTION, TREATMENT, AND RETRAINING CAN BE INITIATED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT) (SNI ABSTRACT)