Predicting Juvenile Recidivism in Korea: A Quantitative Assessment of Risk and Personality in a Comparative Perspective

Personality traits and environmental contextual factors are key components in explanations of juvenile offending. The current study examined the Personality Assessment Inventory-A (PAI-A) and the Risk Assessment Tool (RAT) across a sample of Korean young offenders. An associated aim was to examine scores of these tools’ measures, taking into consideration types of offence and types of stages they were at in the criminal justice system. The PAI-A and RAT scores (N = 207) were collected from the Juvenile Diversion Program (JDP) and Pre-sentence Investigation (PSI) in Seoul and in Kyeongi Province in Korea. The results revealed that RAT subjects scores of Family structure, School life, Delinquent career, and Personal factors were higher in the violent adolescent group and that Family structure, School life, Run-away, and Delinquent career were higher in violent adolescents in the PSI stage. This finding is significant in predicting recidivism risk and designing effective intervention.