Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Dr. Jana Price-Sharps

Abstract

The 3-year rate of recidivism in the United States is around 43%, costing taxpayers millions of dollars every year. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between criminal thinking styles and self-reported recidivism, which included crimes committed that were not reported to authorities. According to Ellis' Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy theory, behavior is a direct result of cognitive activity. The research question asked what relationship existed between criminal thinking styles and recidivism for post-release non-violent offenders on probation. Using the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles, this study used a non-experimental survey approach, correlating scores from this measure with self-reported number of crimes from a sample of males and females ranging in age from18-65 years old (n = 9). Although responses to the recidivism question were obtained, the sample size was insufficient to show a significant relationship between these variables (rs = .45). This effect size suggests that further research could be carried out to determine if, with a larger sample size, a significant relationship might be found. It is important for the criminal justice system and forensic mental health services to gain a better understanding of the relationship between criminal thinking styles and recidivism. This study has revealed that self-report of crimes committed can be collected, enabling greater knowledge of offenders' maladaptive behaviors so that those working in the field to help those offenders to reenter society can do so more efficiently, therefore, reducing recidivism.

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