Self-control and its association to persistent violent criminal behavior: A study of a representative prison cohort.

Abstract: Studies have shown that a small group of offenders, persistent in violent criminal behavior are responsible for the majority of criminal convictions. The aim of the current study was to broaden the understanding of persistent criminal behavior by investigating its associations to self-control. The study investigated the criminal history, mental health and self-control in a sample of 251 incarcerated young male violent offenders. Self-control was investigated by employing developmental aspects such as ADHD-symptoms, conduct disorder-symptoms and self-rated affect lability/dysregulation in childhood, as well as executive functioning. Persistent violent offenders, convicted of three or more violent offences, were compared with non-persistent violent offenders. The persistent violent offenders were found to account for significantly more violent and nonviolent offences, have an earlier onset of their criminal behavior; more often have the diagnoses of conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder and substance use disorders. Number of conduct disorder symptoms and executive functioning predicted persistence in violent criminal behavior. Concluding, self-control was somewhat relevant to understand violent criminal behavior in the current sample. Also, the majority of crime is committed by a group of persistent violent offenders, which are characterized by a history of conduct problems, substance abuse and an early onset of criminal behavior.