The Criminal Offending–Self-Esteem Nexus: Which Version of the Self-Esteem Theory Is Supported?

Traditionalists regard crime to be associated with low self-esteem. A second body of literature suggests a rival hypothesis supporting a relationship between crime and high self-esteem. A multivariate model explored this nexus by examining the impact of demographic characteristics, criminal history, personality traits, and participation in prison programming on self-esteem levels of 134 inmates in two medium-security prisons. Results support the relationship between crime and low self-esteem, with state-raised convicts reporting lower self-esteem levels. In addition, inmates who are emotionally stable, who are less open to novel experiences, and who have participated in counseling or education during incarceration manifest higher self-esteem.