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Exploring the Type-of-Crime Hypothesis, Religiosity, and Spirituality in an Adult Male Prison Population

College of Medicine, Department of Behavioral Science, 103 College of Medicine Office Bldg., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0086, USA

John F. Wilson

College of Medicine, Department of Behavioral Science, 123 College of Medicine Office Bldg., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0086, USA

Michele Staton

Center on Drugs and Alcohol, 103 643 W. Maxwelton Ct., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0293, USA

Carl Leukefeld

College of Medicine, Department of Behavioral Science, 111 College of Medicine Office Bldg., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0086, USA

This study examined the association between measures of spirituality and religiosity and characteristics of current criminal conviction in a male prison population. Spirituality was operationalized as spiritual well-being and existential well-being. Religiosity was operationalized as frequency of religious service attendance, whether an individual considered himself to be religious, and how strongly an individual believed his religious beliefs influenced his behavior. Inmates whose convictions were property related reported greater spiritual wellbeing, were more likely to consider themselves religious, and to say that religious beliefs influenced their behavior than inmates whose crimes were not property related. Inmates whose convictions were drug related were less likely to consider themselves religious, and inmates whose conviction involved violence were more likely to consider themselves religious but less likely to endorse statements that religious beliefs influenced their behavior. The distinction between religiosity and spirituality is discussed in terms of the type-of-crime hypothesis.

Key Words: religiosity • spirituality • prisoners • type-of-crime

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, Vol. 49, No. 6, 682-695 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/0306624X05274897


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