A03

• A :) of the importation model = supporting evidence

  Scott and Gaes (2005) placed 560 male inmates with similar criminal histories in either a low-security prison or in the second-highest category prison.

  The results showed no significant difference in the number of prisoners involved in aggressive conduct between the two prisons (33% and 36%, respectively).

  Therefore, taking into consideration the experimental nature of the study with random allocation to the prisons, it provides strong evidence which adds more validity to this explanation compared to correlational or natural experiments.
• But there's research => that levels of agg in institutions may be due to alternative factors. Dilulia (1991) claims the importation model ignores the roles of prison officials & factors relating to how prisons are run & proposed the administrative control model (ACM)- looks at how poor management, a culture of informal & unofficial rules, distant staff & lack of education opportunities all contribute > to serious forms of inmate violence :. seems that situational factors might be a > accurate predictor of prison violence according to ACM, challenging validity of dispositional factors.
• Point: A strength of the deprivation model is that there is evidence which supports this situational explanation.

  Evidence: For example, Cunningham (2010) analysed 35 inmate homicides in Texas prisons to investigate motivations for the behaviour.

  Explain: They found that some of the reasons were linked to arguments over drugs, homosexual relationships and personal possessions.

  Link: Therefore, as these are all factors proposed by the deprivation model that predict violence, it adds validity to the explanation.
• Point: On the other hand, there is evidence which directly challenges the deprivation model

  Evidence: For example,Hensley (2002) investigated 250 male and female inmates of two prisons, both of which allowed conjugal visits (visits from partners to have sex).

  Explain: They found there was no link between having these visits and reduced aggressive behaviour.

  Link: Therefore, this goes against predictions made by the deprivation model that lack of heterosexual contact leads to increased violence and thus challenges the situational explanation.