NCJ Number
178139
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 24 Issue: 7 Dated: July 1999 Pages: 1-20
Date Published
July 1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article examines psychological tests used to evaluate and classify inmates in state correctional systems.
Abstract
Psychological testing is widely used in state correctional institutions and there is considerable variety in the instruments used. Correctional systems are less inclined to rely on psychological tests for the pre-parole evaluation than for the intake evaluation. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI/MMPI-2) test is the most commonly used psychological instrument in U.S. prisons, regardless of the type of evaluation. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale is the test most likely to be used among the cognitive/intellectual instruments, and second to the MMPI/MMPI-2 in overall use at intake. The article suggests the need for further research to evaluate all tests' reliability and validity, to determine why some tests are preferred, and to develop an efficient and effective testing battery that can be used by many different institutions to provide comprehensive psychological evaluations while reducing overall costs. Tables, references