Moral development and recidivism: a meta-analysis

Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 2011 Dec;55(8):1234-50. doi: 10.1177/0306624X11396441.

Abstract

A meta-analysis of 19 studies (N = 15,992 offenders) showed a significant inverse relation between more mature moral development and recidivism. Moderator analyses revealed a larger effect size for moral cognition (r = .20) than for moral emotion (r = .11). Effect sizes for production measures (r = .57) were much larger than for recognition measures (r = .16) and unstructured (clinical) judgment (r = .10). Larger effect sizes were found for female delinquents (r = .32) than for male delinquents (r = .21). Only small differences in effect sizes were found between juvenile delinquents (r = .10) and adult delinquents (r = .16). Finally, self-report measures of recidivism revealed much larger effect sizes (r = .32) than official reports of recidivism (r = .09). The discussion focuses on the theoretical and practical meaning of the magnitude of the effect size for the relation between moral development and recidivism.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Judgment
  • Morals*
  • Prisoners / psychology*
  • Recurrence