THE STRUCTURE OF ANTISOCIAL ATTITUDES AMONG VIOLENT AND SEXUAL OFFENDERS

This study examined the factor structure of antisocial altitudes,with a sample of 331 male adult offenders. Principal components analysis on the Criminal Sentiments Scale resulted in a two-factor solution using Velicer's Minimal Average Partial (MAP) test and Cattell's Scree rest . Factor I was labeled Contempt for Criminal Justice Personnel, and Fa ctor 2 was labeled Disrespect for Conventional Law. Each of the factor scales had a similar pattern of correlations with the index offence m easures and postdictive offending data. In addition, this factor struc ture did not make an improvement over the original scales in the predi ction of recidivism An additional contributor to the two-factor struct ure,vas the presence of a response style. The first factor included mo stly true-keyed items, and the second factor mostly false-keyed items. The discussion offers direction in constructing measures of antisocia l attitudes.