Abstract
The present study investigated the criterion-related validity of two measures of criminal attitudes—the Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified (CSS-M) and the Pride in Delinquency Scale (PID)—among a sample of 141 Canadian federally incarcerated offenders. Eighty-seven offenders whose current conviction was for a violent offense and 54 offenders whose current conviction was for a property-based offense completed both measures and were compared. Scores on the measures also were evaluated against a variety of criminal history and postrelease measures. The results indicated that both the CSS-M and PID are significantly related to criminal behavior and can predict recidivism. The results also show that the CSS-M is a better measure among violent offenders, whereas the PID is preferred for nonviolent offenders. These results are discussed within the context of theory, research, and practice.
