institutional aggression

• Who put forward the most influential dispositional explanation of institutional aggression?

  Irwin and Cressey (1962)
• What is the dispositional explanation of institutional aggression called?

  The Importation Model
• What does the Importation Model propose?

  That individuals import their characteristics and traits into the prison, when they enter the prison
• Irwin and Cressey (1962) theorise that inmates bring what into prison?

  A subculture typical of criminal behaviour of beliefs, values, norms, attitudes, learning experiences as well as other personal characteristics such as gender, class and race
• According to the Importation Model, how does aggression happen in prisons?

  If an individual comes from a subculture where violence is the norm, then they will continue to be violent in the prison
• According to the importation model, why do inmates import such behaviours?

  As a means of negotiating their way through unfamiliar environments
• According to the importation model, what do inmates want to establish?

  Power, status, influence and access to resources
• According to the importation model, aggression is the product of what?

  Individual characteristics of inmates and not of the prison environment as inmates are predisposed to use violence
• Who put forward the most influential situational explanation of institutional aggression?

  Clemmer (1958)
• What is the situational explanation of institutional aggression called?

  The deprivation model
• Where does the deprivation model place the cause of aggression?

  Within the prison environment itself
• According to the deprivation model, why are inmates aggressive?


  Harsh conditions are stressful for inmates so they resort to aggression. These harsh conditions include being deprived of different things.
• These harsh conditions include being deprived of what?

  Freedom, Independence, Goods, Services, Safety, Heterosexual intimacy
• According to the deprivation model, aggression is also influenced by the nature of the regime. How?

  If it is unpredictable and regularly uses "lock-ups" to control behaviour, this creates frustration, reduces stimulation, reduces access to goods and leads to aggression and violence
• Who conducted research into institutional aggression?

  Camp and Gaes (2005)
• Which model does Camp and Gaes (2005) support?

  The Importation Model
• Who did Camp and Gaes (2005) study?

  561 male inmates with similar criminal histories and predispositions to aggression
• What happened to the participants in Camp and Gaes' (2005) study?

  Half were placed in low-security prisons and half in the second highest security
• What did Camp and Gaes (2005) find?

  Both groups were involved a similar level of aggressive misconduct within two years
• How does the Importation Model lack real life applications?

  If aggression is due to inmates bringing personal characteristics such as gender, class and race these qualities cannot be changed
• What is the research into real life applications of the Deprivation Model?

  Wilson (2005)
• What did Wilson (2005) do?

  Set up two units in HMP Woodhill where the overcrowding was reduced, music was introduced to reduce noisy conditions and the temperature was carefully controlled
• What did Wilson (2005) find?

  He found that initiating these conditions was a successful way to lower levels of aggression
• what is the first strength of the deprivation model

  Wilson
• why is Wilsons study a strength of deprivation model

  it shows that when situational factors changed, so did aggression levels
• what is a limitation against the deprivation model

  there is evidence to support importation model, e.g Camp and Gaes
• Who conducted research into gangs and agression

  DeLisi
• what did Delisi find

  found that inmates with prior street gang involvement were no more likely than other inmates to enact violence
• what is an alternative explanation for Delisis research

  the equality in violence could be due to the isolation gang members have as they usually aren't allowed in gen pop, so they have less opportunities for violence
• as both models have merit, what should we consider what?

  the integration model (an interactionist approach)
• why is the importation model problematic free will vs determinism

  it says that we cant change aggression in prisons as its always being brought in, offers a bleak future for prison workers. so it is deterministic