Institutional aggression in the context of prisons

• Dispositional explanations - Importation model, Irwin + Cressey

  • Prisons are not shielded from what's happening in the outside world
  • Inmates bring a subculture of criminality - Beliefs, values, norms etc.
  • Aggression is the product of individual characteristics of inmates and not the prison environments
  • Inmates predisposed to using violence - Do so in any setting
• Dispositional explanations - Research into the importation model, DeLisi et al

  • 1000 Juvenile delinquents in institutions in Cali
  • Brought in negative DF e.g. Childhood trauma, anger issues, substance abuse etc.

  Findings:

  • More likely to engage in suicidal activity and sexual misconduct
  • More acts of physical violence - Brough to attention of parole board
• Evaluation of DF of aggression in prisons - Support from research

  Camp + Gaes: Studies 600 male prisoners with similar crimes and predispositions to aggression

  Findings:

  • 30% In low security prisons + 40% in higher security - Involve in aggressive misconduct within 2 years - Not significant
  • Features of a prison environment - Less important predictor for aggressive behaviour than characteristic

  Strength: Support from a field study with random allocations - High validity
• Evaluation of DF of aggression in prisons - Alternative explanation

  Diluio: IM inadequate explanation - Ignores roles of officials and factors of running a prison

  • Rather, Administrative control model (ACM) - Poorly managed prisons are more likely to experience most serious forms of inmate violence

  Limitation: Alternative explanation means IM is not a sole explanation
• Situational explanations - The deprivation model, Clemmer

  • Cause of institutional aggression is within the prison itself i.e. situational explanation
  • Cope harsh prison conditions - Resort to aggressive and violent behaviour
  • Deprived of freedom, independence and heterosexual intimacy
  • Deprivation of material goods - Increases of competition to acquire them
  • Influenced by prison regime - Unpredictable lock ups creating frustration leading to anger
• Situational explanations - Research into the deprivation model, Steiner

  Method: Investigated factors that predicted inmate aggression in 500 prisons in the USA

  Findings:

  • Inmate on inmate violence - Higher proportion of female staff, overcrowding
• Evaluation of situational explanations - Supporting evidence

  Cunnigham et al: Analysed 40 inmate homicides in a Texan prison

  Findings:

  • Motivations for the behaviours were linked to deprivations - Arguments over drugs, homosexual relationships and personal possessions

  Strength: Supports validity
• Evaluation of situational explanations - Contradictory research

  Hensley et al: Studied 260 inmates from two prisons that allow conjugal visits

  Findings: No link between involvement in these visits and reduced aggressive behaviour

  • Goes against the prediction that lack of freedom and heterosexual contact lead to high levels of aggressive behaviour in prisons

  Limitation: Research does not show a link