Content area
Abstract
Researchers have demonstrated that in addition to individual personality, community can influence criminal behavior. Differences exist between rural and urban communities related to culture, demography, and crime. The criminal justice system has been modeled from an urban perspective, which may not be effective in rural communities. The purpose of this study was to distinguish differential patterns of personality traits as measured by the Jesness Inventory (JI) on criminal activity of convicted inmates from rural and urban communities. Social disorganization theory guided this research, which posits that communities with a shared value system have fewer problems with crime and delinquency. The research question involved understanding whether group membership based on community and criminal activity could be multivariately predicted from personality traits as measured by the JI. This study used an archival database of a random sample of newly admitted inmates. Discriminant analysis was used to classify individuals into 1 of 4 groups using the 11 JI personality traits. Multicollinearity rendered the initial results questionable. A revised discriminant analysis using 3 component scores from a principle component analysis resulted in 1 significant factor that maximally discriminated between rural/nonviolent and urban/violent. These outcomes could affect social change through criminology research by further investigation of the influence of the person-environment interaction on behavior. Treatment and prevention programs could be customized based on the context of the situation. Policymakers could work with rural residents to create community-based resources that would be managed by the community, allowing them to maintain their culture of privacy.
