Risk-taking behaviors in prisoners versus non-prisoners

Risky Prisoners

The study I selected choose to investigate the risk-taking behaviors of prisoners and measure them against non-prisoners' behaviors. Hanoch & Gummerum (2010) wrote " we used the Domain-Specific Risk Taking Scale to compare 75 male prisoner and 75 non-prisoners risk taking behavior, risk perception and risk benefit in five domains (ethical, financial, health, recreations and social."

To accomplish this study the researchers selected 75 adult male prisoners from a medium-security prison in the UK between 21 and 67 years old where the mean age was nearly 35 years old. The 75 non-prisoners were males ranged in age from 20 to 61 years old. A specific test known as DOSPERT was used to examine risk taking behaviors. A 7 point Likert scale was used to help gauge the intensity of the attitudes towards risk and how they applied to the aforementioned domains. The study eventually concluded that "the results call into question the idea that prisoners are generally greater risk takers than non-prisoners. They also highlight the importance of understanding the relationship between risk perception, benefit perception, and risk behavior among prisoners and non-prisoners, " (p.441).

This is important news for those working in the forensic psychology industry as this information demonstrates how subtle and unproductive criminal behavior can sometimes appear. This study dismisses a stereotypical view of a high-risk taking person, addicted to danger and excitement. Rather this complicates the issue as it eliminates risk as a substantial motivating factor for criminal behavior. The information contained in this article forces forensic psychologists to continue to search for more new theories on behavior.