This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (1) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Ashkar, P. J. Articles by Kenny, D. T. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Moral Reasoning of Adolescent Male Offenders

Comparison of Sexual and Nonsexual Offenders

University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Dianna T. Kenny

University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, D.Kenny{at}fhs.usyd.edu.au

This study compares the moral reasoning abilities of juvenile sexual and nonsexual offenders using a novel methodology that explores responses to questions addressing morality in a variety of offending contexts. Seven sexual and nine nonsexual adolescent male offenders from a maximum security detention facility in New South Wales, Australia, are presented with and asked to discuss a variety of hypothetical offending situations involving sexual and nonsexual offences. It is hypothesized that the quality of moral reasoning employed by offenders will be impaired in offending contexts in which they have prior experience. Responses are assessed using a modified version of the Moral Judgment Interview Standard Issue Scoring Manual. Responses by sexual offenders in sexual offending contexts and by nonsexual offenders in nonsexual offending contexts were dominated by preconventional reasoning, and both groups employed a greater use of conventional reasoning in noncongruent offending contexts.

Key Words: moral development • moral reasoning • adolescent offenders • sexual offenders • nonsexual offenders

Criminal Justice and Behavior, Vol. 34, No. 1, 108-118 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0093854806288118


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				I. Cechaviciute and D. T. Kenny The Relationship Between Neutralizations and Perceived Delinquent Labeling on Criminal History in Young Offenders Serving Community Orders Criminal Justice and Behavior, June 1, 2007; 34(6): 816 - 829. [Abstract] [PDF]