Big Five Personality Traits and Criminal Recidivism: Mediating Effect Framework

Abstract

Many studies have shown the significant relationship of the Big Five facets of the individual personality in relation to criminal behaviour and re-offending (recidivism). This study examined the mediating effect of the Big Five personality traits of ex-prisoners based on their prison experiences in relation to criminal recidivism using the Five-Factor Model (FFM) model. Data were drawn purposely among the ex-prisoners (n=256) in metropolitan Kano, Nigeria using survey method. The study utilized PROCESS procedures for SPSS & SAS software, but in specific terms PROCESS (Hayes, 2013) was used in running the mediation analysis of the data. The result showed that, out of the five facets of the FFM only two were having a mediating effect between prison experience and criminal recidivism among the ex-prisoners. Specifically, conscientiousness (X-Y=1.12, X-M=-0.07, X+M together predicting Y=-0.12, C'=1.10), and agreeableness (X > Y=1.12, X-M= -0.24, X+M together predicting Y= -0.04, C'= 1.10) were having mediation effect. The remaining facets did not mediate. The study concluded that personality traits can mediate the relationship between prison experience and criminal recidivism among the ex-prisoners with particular reference to conscientiousness and agreeableness.