Examining Developmental Patterns of Prison Misconduct: An Integrated Model Approach

Abstract

Recent prison scholarship has employed an integrated model of the developmental/life-course perspectives and importation model to examine prison misconduct. Using longitudinal data from a large sample of inmates incarcerated in a U.S. prison system, this study attempts to validate and expand recent prison research by systematically examining the relationship among inmate characteristics and misconduct trajectories, particularly for the higher/chronic pattern of misconduct relative to other identified clusters. The results show that smaller groups of inmates have persistent criminal careers and continually engaged in high level of misconduct. In addition, several inmate characteristics associated with prison misconduct can also be useful to distinguishing high-risk inmates/persistent offenders from groups that offend at low rates over time. These findings could provide vital information to prison officials in developing and designing alternative prison services, assistance, and rehabilitation programs based on the misconduct trajectories.

Violent Institutional Misconduct in the Transition from Juvenile to Adult Correctional Facilities

“…The findings of this study can be summarized as follows: the most frequent misconduct perpetrators as juvenile wards—the top 10% misconduct perpetrators while in juvenile confinement—were predicted to engage in a higher expected rate of violent misconduct in the adult prison setting. This finding is in line with prior research (Cihan & Sorensen, 2019; Craig & Trulson, 2019). Second, the youngest offenders with respect to the age that they were initially committed to the adult prison system were predicted to engage in higher levels of violent misconduct, net the effects of other variables in the model, which is consistent with prior research (Steiner et al, 2014; Trulson et al, 2016; Valentine et al, 2015).…”

“…In the decades since the development of importation theory, numerous studies provided empirical support for the notion that pre-prison behavioral risk factors including criminal history, prison history, gang involvement, and externalizing psychopathology were associated with greater institutional maladjustment and misconduct (e.g., Cao et al, 1997; Choi & Dulisse, 2020; Cihan & Sorensen, 2019; DeLisi & Butler, 2020; Hochstetler & DeLisi, 2005; Lai, 2019; Walters & Crawford, 2013). In recent years, the importation model has undergone modification to more explicitly recognize life-course developmental periods that occur both prior to confinement and after release from custody.…”

“…Juveniles and young adult inmates are perhaps one of the least stable and most vulnerable populations in the adult prison setting due to their young age, psychosocial deficits, and general lack of criminal sophistication (Redding, 2003; Reidy et al, 2018; Salekin et al, 2001; Valentine et al, 2015; Woolard et al, 2005). Perhaps because of these issues, one of the most robust findings in the institutional behavior literature is that juveniles and young adult inmates are consistently more engaged in prison disciplinary misconduct than older inmates (Cihan & Sorensen, 2019; Cihan et al, 2017; Sorensen & Davis, 2011; Steiner et al, 2014; Valentine et al, 2015; Walters & Crawford, 2013).…”

Murder as Importation: An Empirical Study of the Continuity of Homicide Offending From Community to Confinement

“…Unfortunately, their study did not contain any prison homicide data. Still other research found that current homicide conviction was associated with having low misconduct while in prison (Cihan & Sorensen, 2019). Cunningham et al (2010) examined 35 inmate murders occurring in Texas prisons from 2000 to 2008.…”

A Person-Centered Approach to Prison Behavior Based on Officers’ Observations: Relations to Risk, Prison Misconduct, and Recidivism

“…Generally, these studies indicate that determinants of prison misconduct and violence are similar to those "that have traditionally provided insight into postrelease recidivism" [(19); p. 710]. Hence, recent life course/developmental perspectives suggest that prison misconduct may rather represent a continuation of a pattern of delinquency (20)(21)(22) than an interruption (23). It was emphasized that studying prison behavior can further improve the understanding of recidivism (20).…”