Level of Moral Reasoning
Your moral compass isn't just about knowing right from wrong - it's about how you think through ethical dilemmas. Kohlberg's stage theory breaks down moral development into six stages across three levels, and research suggests criminals often get stuck at the earliest stages.
Pre-conventional morality (the lowest level) is where most offenders find themselves. At this stage, people only follow rules to avoid punishment or gain personal benefits. It's basically moral reasoning driven by "what's in it for me?" Non-offenders typically reach conventional morality, where they follow rules for social approval or to maintain order.
Palmer and Hollin's research backs this up perfectly - when they compared convicted offenders with non-offenders, criminals consistently showed less mature moral reasoning. However, the type of crime matters. Some offences might not fit Kohlberg's neat categories at all.
Key insight: Just because someone can think morally doesn't mean they'll act morally - moral reasoning often comes after the crime as a way to justify what already happened.
