Patterns of Personality Deviation Among Violent Offenders

Two cluster analytic procedures were applied to personality test data obtained from 300 violent offenders. The analyses produced four broadly similar profile patterns which replicate those found in previous studies of violent offenders. The four patterns were labelled Primary Psychopath, Secondary Psychopath, Controlled and Inhibited. Two factor dimensions of Psychopathy or Antisocial Aggression and Social Withdrawal were sufficient to reproduce the typology. Two further profile patterns were identified, but these were variants or subgroups of the secondary psychopath and controlled profile patterns. The primary and secondary psychopath patterns predominate among those identified as having personality disorders, while controlled and inhibited patterns were more likely to be associated with more serious psychiatric disability.