INSTITUTIONAL AGGRESSION (PRISONS)

• INSTITUTION 


  institution is a place that is governed by a person or a group with authority. They usually have strict social guidelines. This form of aggression involved the behaviour of those people serving in institutions (such as police, security services and military) as well as criminal and terrorist groups. Acts of institutional aggression range from physical abuse of individuals during ‘initiation rituals’, to acts designed to destroy national, racial or religious groups (genocide). 
• DISPOSITIONAL EXPLANATION 


  IMPORTATION MODEL =

  This is the idea that prisoners are not blank slates, they import social histories and traits into prison. Aggression inside prison is the same as experiences outside prison. It may also come from genetics, testosterone and serotonin levels. Other characteristics showed anger, ant-social personality style and impulsivity. 
• SITUATIONAL EXPLANATION 


  DEPRIVATION MODEL =

  This explains how aggression is the later result of the conditions within the institution itself. SKYKES came up with 5 deprivations: deprivation of liberty, deprivation of autonomy, deprivation of goods and services, deprivation of heterosexual relationships and deprivation of security.
• (+) DISPOSITIONAL 


  DELISI ET AL =

  studied 813 juvenile delinquents in California and found that inmates with several negative dispositional features (childhood trauma, higher levels of anger, substance abuse), were more likely to engage in suicidal activity, sexual misconduct and committed more acts of physical violence. 
• (-) DISPOSITIONAL 


  DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL =

  where prisoners have little control over their negative predispositions, therefore aggression is inevitable and not the fault of the prisoner. Or, aggression in prisons is the outcome of prisoners exercising their free will, with cognitive factors playing a role.
• (+) SITUATIONAL 


  CUNNINGHAM ET AL =

  analysed 35 inmate homicides in texas prisons between 2000 and 2008. They found motivations for their violent behaviours were linked to deprivation factors (arguments for drugs, homosexual relationships and personal possessions). This suggests that factors identified by the deprivation model, such as goods, services, and safety are a key factor in an increase in aggression in prison, increasing the model’s validity. 
• (-) SITUATIONAL 


  contrasts the research to lack of freedom and heterosexual relationships comes from HENSLEY ET AL =

  studied 256 male and female inmates of two prisons in Mississippi and found that there was no link between conjugal visits (visits from partners specifically to have sex) and reduced aggression.