Citation

Colins OF, Vermeiren R, De Bolle M, Broekaert E. Crim. Justice Behav. 2012; 39(11): 1421-1435.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0093854812456526

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Few studies have examined whether psychopathic-like traits predict recidivism in detained youth. The current study investigated the predictive validity of self-report of psychopathic-like traits for official recidivism. Participants were 223 detained male adolescents from all three Flemish youth detention centers, who were assessed with the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI). Two to four years later, official information on recidivism was collected. Recidivism was defined in four ways. Neither the affective dimension nor the broader construct of psychopathy (i.e., total YPI score) was predictive of recidivism above and beyond criminal history. The behavioral and interpersonal dimensions, however, significantly added to the prediction of substance-related recidivism. Overall, psychopathic-like traits in detained adolescents assessed by means of the YPI did not convincingly predict recidivism. Implications of the findings are discussed.

KEYWORDS: Juvenile justice; Juvenile delinquency