NCJ Number
16803
Date Published
1975
Length
23 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY EXPLORED THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE DEPRIVATION AND IMPORTATION MODEL HYPOTHESES OF INMATE RESPONSES TO IMPRISONMENT FACILITATE PREDICTIONS OF ILLICIT DRUG USE AND ABUSE IN THE CORRECTIONAL SETTING.
Abstract
IT ALSO EVALUATED THE DERVASIVENESS OF ILLICIT DRUG USE IN AN INSTITUTIONAL SETTING THAT IS STRUCTURED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MINIMIZE THE IMPORTATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF ALL NON-PRESCRIBED DRUG COMPOUNDS. THE DEPRIVATION MODEL IMPLIES THAT DRUG USE MIGHT BE ONE FUNCTIONAL MEANS OF ADAPTING TO THE PRESSURES OF CONFINEMENT OCCURRING INDEPENDENTLY OF EXTRA PRISON INFLUENCES. THE IMPORTATION MODEL, ON THE OTHER HAND, IMPLIES THAT DRUG USE EXEMPLIFIES BUT ONE OF MANY ATTITUDINAL AND BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS THAT ARE ASSOIATED WITH PREPRISON AND EXTRAPRISON INFLUENCES ON INMATE ADAPTATION. STUDY DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM A SAMPLE OF 2273 INMATES WHO WERE CONFINED IN A MEDIUM SECURITY PENITENTIARY FOR YOUNG ADULT MALE FELONS EARLY IN 1973. INMATE ALLIENATION, OPPOSITION TO THE PRISON ORGANIZATION, POST-PRISON EXPECTATIONS, PRISONIZATION, AND SELF-REPORTED DRUG USE WERE MEASURED USING SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES. STUDY FINDINGS REVEALED THAT 30.6 PERCENT OF THOSE REPORTING PREPRISON DRUG USE (75.4 PERCENT OF THE STUDY SAMPLE) CONTINUED TO USE DRUGS SUBSEQUENT TO THEIR CONFINEMENT AND ONLY 4.4 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO DID NOT REPORT PREPRISON DRUG INVOLVEMENT BEGAN USING DRUGS AFTER CONFINEMENT. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT DESPITE CONTRARY FINDINGS OF EARLIER RESEARCH, THERE WAS LITTLE SUPPORT FOR THE DEPRIVATION MODEL HYPOTHESIS. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS AND AREAS OF FUTURE RESEARCH ARE DISCUSSED. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS SAMPLE ITEMS FROM EACH OF THE ATTITUDINAL MEASURES UTILIZED. A FOUR-PAGE LIST OF REFERENCES IS ALSO INCLUDED.