Verbal IQ and the I-Level Classification System for Delinquents

Abstract

Previous work suggested that the I-level ("I" for "interpersonal maturity") typology for offenders might depend heavily—and unexpectedly—upon Verbal IQ. The present article confirms the previous suggestion that I-level and Verbal IQ are significantly related—for males, but not for females. However, the effect among males disappeared when age was introduced as a variable. Future work on I-level theory should control for several variables: sex, ethnicity, Verbal IQ, and age. Two of the variables, age and Verbal IQ (which is already corrected for age) unexpectedly related strongly, prompting questions as to why lower Verbal IQ's were characteristic of younger versus older offenders.