Prison Impact Studies: Some Comments on Methodological Rigor

Abstract

Many pronouncements have been made in the process of site selection for new prisons. A review of the research literature on the effect of prisons on communities reveals that most of this information is unsupported by good research design. This essay presents a critique of the methodological and research design problems of prison impact studies. Various threats to validity are explored and two complementary methodologies, a single-site time series and multisite time series, are proposed for prison impact studies. Strict attention to internal-validity concerns will provide better answers to causal mechanisms and outcomes than is currently the case.

Prisons as Panacea or Pariah? The Countervailing Consequences of the Prison Boom on the Political Economy of Rural Towns

“…An analysis of town-level demographics offers a more nuanced assessment of the prison boom by using more methodologically rigorous techniques, as encouraged by McShane, Williams, and Wagoner [52]. Besser and Hanson [31] address this mandate by using a place-based national analysis to argue that towns with prisons experienced negative impacts such as increased poverty, unemployment, and a rise in minority residents.…”

Using prisons to stimulate demographic change: Understanding one community’s concerns

“…The majority of studies that have been undertaken to assess the effect of a prison on a community focus on whether or not a prison is an economic asset to the community (McShane, Williams and Wagoner, 1992). Furthermore, many of the studies that have been undertaken have methodological issues that make it difficult to assess their validity.…”

“…The economic impact of the prison on a community may depend on the community (Schichor, 1992;McShane, et al 1992). Furthermore, the siting of a prison may be decided more by cheap, available land than by economic need.…”

Reclaiming the Prison Boom: Considering Prison Proliferation in the Era of Mass Imprisonment

“…During the peak of the prison boom in 1992, the Journal of Crime and Delinquency dedicated an entire issue to prison building (Carlson ; Farrington ; Martin ; McShane et al . ; Sechrest ). This special issue marked a major advance in the prison town as a substantive topic of study.…”