The Juvenile Justice Assessment Instrument

Abstract This article presents the development of a new assessment instrument for use with juvenile delinquents: The Juvenile Justice Assessment Instrument (JJAI). The term “juvenile delinquency” covers a multitude of antisocial behaviors engaged in by adolescents. Research indicates that certain intrinsic vulnerabilities may combine with environmental stressors to engender maladaptive behaviors. Unfortunately, these potentially treatable vulnerabilities often remain unrecognized in the delinquent population. Because of the sheer numbers of children entering the juvenile justice system each year, it is impossible to ensure that each child will receive a full evaluation from a trained clinician. The JJAI offers those who work with juvenile delinquents an economical, yet sophisticated, assessment tool for evaluating youngsters and recommending appropriate treatment and disposition. This paper also presents the results of two field trials with the JJAI. In a juvenile justice setting, data elicited by the JJAI was compared to data gathered by the court. In a residential treatment setting, data elicited by the JJAI was compared with information gathered by staff at the treatment facility. A discussion of the obstacles faced by those who interview delinquents, and strategies within the JJAI to overcome them, are discussed.     

Max Weber und die deutsche verstehende Soziologie: ein französischer (Rezeptions-)Mythos

In diesem Aufsatz werden einige Besonderheiten der französischen Rezeption des Werkes von Max Weber in Bezug auf seine methodologischen Aspekte diskutiert. Webers Theorie der Kausalität wurde in dieser Rezeption im Lichte des Gegensatzes zwischen Determinismus und Freiheit interpretiert und im Kontext des Streites zwischen Methodologischem Individualismus und Holismus instrumentalisiert und dadurch verzerrt dargestellt und systematisch missverstanden. In diesem Beitrag soll anhand der Kritik dieser französischen Interpretation die Bedeutung der Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorien für Webers Vorstellungen der historischen Kausalität und die Unabhängigkeit seiner methodologischen Positionen betont werden, die ohne ontologische Annahmen auskommen. Dabei erweist sich der in den meisten Auseinandersetzungen mit Webers methodologischen Positionen überbetonte, traditionelle Gegensatz zwischen Geistes- und Naturwissenschaften als ein völlig unzulänglicher Rahmen, um die Erkenntniszwecke der Weber’schen Soziologie zu bestimmen.     

Psychopathy and violent recidivism

The violent recidivism rates of 169 adult male mentally disordered offenders released from a maximum security psychiatric hospital were compared over an average 10-year follow-up period. Forty percent of the total and 77% of the psychopaths (as defined by the Psychopathy Checklist) committed a violent offense. It was possible to predict outcome with considerable accuracy using combinations of childhood history, adult history, index offense, and institutional or program variables. However, the Psychopathy Checklist alone performed at least as well as any combination of variables and also improved upon the prediction based on criminal history variables. Psychopaths continued to recidivate at a higher rate than nonpsychopaths even beyond age 40.This research was supported by the Ontario Mental Health Foundation under grant No. 952-86-88. Thanks are due to R. Hare and V. Quinsey for comments on earlier versions of this paper and to V. Bell, C. Lang, L. Koshkerian, S. Robinson, and C. MacKnight for collecting the data.     

Equality and differentiation: Effects of group structure on allocations

Two studies using vignettes explore some conditions under which equity, equality, and need as allocation rules are taken into account by an outside allocator. Independent variables include information about success or failure of a work group, level of morale of the group, relative contributions of work group members, responsibility for outcome, and influence of one individual on others. Results suggest that differentiation based on both equity and need results from a focus on individual deserving while equality among status equals results from focus on group level factors. An interaction between outcome and contribution appears when group level factors are included; these effects also appear when there are two rather than only one target person differing from the rest of a group; an overreward effect depends on attributions of responsibility for outcome; and an influential member is seen as deserving even if a low contributor. No gender differences were found.     

An evaluation of a maximum security therapeutic community for psychopaths and other mentally disordered offenders

Psychopaths present serious problems for the criminal justice system because they are responsible for many serious crimes and appear to be very resistant to treatment. The present study was a retrospective evaluation of the efficacy of a maximum security therapeutic community program in reducing recidivism among mentally disordered offenders, some of whom were psychopaths. The study employed a matched group, quasiexperimental design. The results showed that, compared to no program (in most cases prison), treatment was associated with lower recidivism (especially violent recidivism) for nonpsychopaths and higher violent recidivism for psychopaths. The clinical and research utility of Hare's Psychopathy Checklist was strongly supported.