EXPLORING THE ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF PRISON INMATES AND NON PRISON SAMPLE IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA.

This study compared the antisocial personality characteristics of prison inmates and an equivalent non-prison sample in North Central Nigeria. An independent t-test of the responses to an Antisocial Personality Scale of forty (40) prison inmates and forty (40) non-prison sample showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the antisocial personality of prison and the non prison sample as hypothesised. This result may be due to the economic reality of Nigeria which has resulted in widespread impoverishment of large segment of the population in a manner that has pushed many to engage in antisocial behaviours. Based on this, it was recommended that government should pay proper attention to the economic well being of the citizens to ensure healthy and prosocial development.