JG

NYU Summer\\
August 12, 2015
Child maltreatment and adult criminal behavior: Does criminal thinking explain the association?

I came across a study on criminal adult behavior in relation to child maltreatment. The article
begins by mentioning the known and established notion that abnormal conditions experiences in
childhood often result in adverse behaviors as an adult. Early victimization often results in adult
criminal offending. Despite knowing this fact, researchers are not fully sure as to why this
occurs. Rather, the phenomenon that occurs in between victimization and criminal adulthood.
The study proposes looking at criminal thinking styles as a way to begin finding out why this is
the case.
Criminality is not an inevitable outcome of child maltreatment and delinquency but the social
learning experience alone is enough to promote a higher likelihood of the aforementioned
happening. Some theories propose the idea that individuals who are exposed directly or
indirectly to violent or abusive experiences (e.g., sexual and physical abuse, witnessing domestic
violence) early in development may be more likely to adopt corresponding attitudes and beliefs
emphasizing the reinforcing qualities of violence and engage in offensive or abusive behaviors
later on in life. Certain thinking are known predictors of adult criminal behavior. For example,
individuals who engage in criminal behavior report more cognitive distortion than those who
who dont engage in these behaviors. We are aware of these connections yet still dont know
what is the connection between the two. The researchers seeks to figure out by conducting a
study in a prison.
385 random male prisoners who were recently adjudicated were selected for the study (only 338

participated due to missing/inaccessible records. A series of questionnaires was provided asking

various things in relation to ones child maltreatment history, criminal thinking and other sections.
Their criminal records were also reviewed by research assistants in an effort to classify every
prisoner and assess their thought processes. Likelihoods of committing crimes were put on a
scale of 1 to 5. All participants were compensated and informed that participation would have no
effect on their legal status or standing within the prison.
As it turns out, sexual abuse and sexual offense as an adult were correlated as well as other
criminal behaviors and their corresponding transgressions in childhood. The findings were
consistent with the possibility that cognitive distortions originating from child maltreatment.
However, there was no evidence of conclusive causation. This brings about the larger question of
whether or not criminal thinking, childhood maltreatment and criminal behaviors are actually
operating parts of a larger whole of cognitive development.

http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1652&context=psychfacpub