Investigating latent trait and life course theories as predictors of recidivism among an offender sample

This research used data from a drug treatment follow-up study to investigate the predictive utility of factors associated with latent trait and life-course models of criminal offending among a sample of serious drug users. A sample of 577 incarcerated drug offenders was interviewed prior to release from prison and again at six and eighteen months after release. Structural equation models were used to investigate to what extent sensation seeking and aggression scales predicted marriage, employment, or enrollment in an educational program and, in turn, how both sets of variables predicted drug use and arrest. Results indicated that while aggression was negatively associated with social bonds and positively related to drug use and arrest, sensation seeking was nonsignificant in predicting bonds and negatively associated with drug use. Employment and school were negatively associated with drug use and arrest, while marriage was nonsignificant. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.