Intent to aggress in forensic settings

This PhD examines the role of individual and environmental characteristics in the intent to aggress, resulting in the development of a model to understand the intent to aggress in forensic settings. Study one focused on individual characteristics of aggressors in a prison sample of adult men (n=200). The study confirmed the importance of personality traits and beliefs in engagement in aggression in forensic settings. Aggressors reported low levels of agreeableness and high neuroticism and greater aggressive supportive beliefs, although the variance explained by personality traits and beliefs was low. Study two therefore aimed to examine other factors potentially of relevance, specifically environmental factors. Staff from two Young Offender sites (n=103), one closed and one open, participated. The results confirmed the influence of the physical and social aspects of the secure setting over attitudes and responses to aggression; the more secure physical environment was found to associate with negative attitudes towards prisoners and proaggressive attitudes. Attitudes were thus found to be important factors in the response to aggression. The final study aimed to combine both individual characteristics (e.g., beliefs, fear and personality) and environmental factors in a single study using prisoners (n=427) and staff (n=78) from one category B establishment housing adult men. Examination of emotion was lacking from study one and was therefore included in study three. The results confirmed the importance of beliefs via a moderating effect of fear. Greater perceptions of the threat in the forensic setting differentiated between aggressors and those not involved in aggression. The findings of the three studies were combined with existing theoretical frameworks and suggested two different pathways to increased aggression and one for the inhibition of aggression. These three pathways are presented via the Model of Intent to Aggress in Secure Settings (MIA-SS).