Study of seven showcases of people sentenced for offenses against public administration in Colombia between 2009 and 2010, from a criminological perspective

Abstract

This research is aimed at describing criminological characteristics among a group of seven individuals sentenced for offenses against public  administration. Socio-demographic variables were taken into account, as well as modus operandi (criminological variable) and personality (psychological variable). In this research of exploratory nature, with a descriptive analysis and intentional sampling, six male inmates (average age 44) of two prisons in Bogota and Villavicencio took part between 2009 and 2010. As instruments, the personality questionnaire 16 PF, form B, the semistructured interview on modus operandi, the socio-demographic variables and the social desirability questionnaire by Dominguez, Salas-Menotti and Reyes (2008) were used. The results reveal that there are personality traits commonly shared by at least five participants, such as tendency to specific, concrete thought, emotional instability, dominance, external control locus, suspiciousness, a high normativity level though associated to physical pain, work stability and good remuneration, higher education studies in economic sciences and law. These are people with no prior investigation backgrounds; they act alone or with the help of a minimum number of people, without further behaviors to cover their criminal acts. Their offenses are perpetrated in a short period of time. Average prison sentence: 84 months.