NCJ Number
26244
Journal
Medicine, Science and the Law Volume: 12 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1972) Pages: 275-282
Date Published
1972
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF A METHOD OF ESTIMATING VIOLENT BEHAVIOR USING INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES IS EXPLORED AND DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE AUTHORS STATE THAT METHODS OF STUDYING VIOLENT BEHAVIOR HAVE TENDED AT ONE EXTREME TO BE BY ANALYSIS OF OFFICIAL STATISTICS AND AT THE OTHER BY A NON-QUANTITATIVE CASEWORK STYLE OF APPROACH TO THE INDIVIDUAL OFFENDER. ATTEMPTS TO MEASURE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR FROM INTERVIEW ACCOUNTS HAVE BEEN FAR LESS FREQUENT AND THE PRESENT PAPER DESCRIBES THE USE OF THIS METHOD WITH GROUPS OF MEN IN PRISON AND BOYS IN A BORSTAL. THE SUBJECTS, SETTING, AND INTERVIEW RATING SCALES EMPLOYED ARE DESCRIBED. THESE SCALES INCLUDED AN OVERALL VIOLENCE RATING, A FREQUENCY RATING, VICTIM RATING, THE MARLOW-CROWN SOCIAL DESIRABILITY SCALE, AND THE BUSS-DURKEE INVENTORY. IN BOTH STUDIES THE VIOLENCE RATINGS WERE MADE AT THE TIME OF THE INTERVIEW. EACH SUBJECT HAD TWO VIOLENCE INTERVIEWS WITH DIFFERENT INTERVIEWERS WHO WERE UNAWARE OF THE RATINGS MADE BY THE OTHER INTERVIEWER. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT A MODERATE LEVEL OF RELIABILITY CAN BE OBTAINED, BY INTERVIEW, OF AN HISTORICAL PATTERN OF VIOLENCE IN BOTH ADULT AND YOUNG OFFENDERS IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)