An exploratory study of young offenders' self-reported reasons for offending

Youths' self-reported reasons for offending are seldom incorporated into standardized forensic risk-needs assessment tools. The aim of this study was to explore the use of a standardized method for eliciting and recording youths' views about why they offend. Responses to a 22-item checklist of reasons for offending were analyzed for 516 youths in detention, 117 of who underwent a second assessment within a 5-year period, and 281 youths taking part in a community-based restitution program. Results from multivariate and content analyses suggested that six major motivational themes for offending could be discerned: immediate gratification, interpersonal hostility, social conformity, material needs, substance use, and boredom. Empirical support for both convergent and predictive (recidivism) validities is presented. It is suggested that consideration of offenders' views about why they offend should be incorporated into structured assessments and that this can be facilitated by using standardized checklists.