Crime- Topic 6 (effect of imprisonment)

• Dispositional Hypothesis (DH)


  Assumes prisoners lack respect for law and order, and guards are domineering personalities who use physical force to control aggressive inmates
• The Dispositional Hypothesis assumes that prisoners and guards are inevitably evil, and it is this innate disposition which causes the violence and dehumanisation that exists in prisons
• The Dispositional Hypothesis is a simplistic view which fails to take situational or environmental conditions into account
• A 1994 Recidivism Study estimated that within 3 years, 51.8% of prisoners released were back in prison that year due to new crime or violation of parole
• Key Research: Haney et al


  Aim was to critically evaluate whether the behaviour of prisoners and guards can better be explained by Situational or Dispositional Factors
• Haney et al Study


  • Sample: 24 male volunteers, M.C College Students, Paid $15 per day
  • Design: Lab experiment (mock Prison), IV = role (11 Guards + 10 Prisoners), DV = Guard and Prisoner behaviour in experiment collected through video/audio
  • Prisoners wore smock and number, Guards wore khaki uniform
• Restorative Justice


  The process involves a practitioner inviting the victim and offender to a meeting where the process is explained, the offender talks about the crime and why they agreed to Restorative Justice, the victim explains how the crime impacted them, and steps are taken to ensure the crime doesn't happen again. A contract is then signed by both the offender and victim outlining what has been agreed and what actions must be taken (rehabilitation)