Personality and criminal thinking styles of offenders: A theoretical overview

Pages: 170-174
Nitesh Kumar Jha (Department of Research, SOMAARTH, INCLEN Trust International, Mitrol, Aurangabad, Palwal, Haryana)
Unnati Sharma (Department of Students Wellness (SWD) NSPIRA Management Services Private Limited, Telangana)

Personality and Criminal thinking styles have been studied globally along with other psychosocial variables as predictors of offending behavior. There are very few research evidences are available that have been carried out to see the association between personality and criminal thinking styles in offenders. Criminal thinking style is defined by Walters (2006b) as a“content, matter of thought and a process leading to the initiation and maintenance of behavior characterized by the habitual violation of the law”. “Personality is defined as a dynamic organization, inside the person, of psychophysical systems that create the person’s characteristic patterns of behavior, thoughts and feelings” (Allport, 1961). Yochelson and Samenow’s Criminal Personality Theory emphasizes on the role of thinking error in criminal or offending behavior based on their idea of free will. Walters’ Criminal Lifestyle Theory too further on highlighted the importance of thinking in criminality by incorporating three independent factors; external factor (condition), decision making process (choice) and mindset (cognition). This article is, therefore, an attempt to study personality and criminal thinking styles in offenders, and how it can have an effect on offending behavior. The description of the variables of personality and criminal thinking styles is elaborated in light with the existing appropriate theoretical model. Findings of different empirical studies conducted by researchers to understand personality factors and their association with criminal thinking styles in offenders are incorporated. The implications of the study have been highlighted as well.