Correlates of Prisoner Misconduct

• NCJ Number: 101798
• Journal: Journal of Quantitative Criminology Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1986) Pages: 49-67
• Author(s): A Goetting; R M Howsen
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 17 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Earlier version presented at the 1984 annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, San Antonio.

Annotation

Using a 1979 nationwide sample of 5,586 State prison inmates, this study examined relationships between the frequency of officially reported institutional misconduct as reported by the inmates and various pre-institutional and institution-related inmate traits.

Abstract

Analysis of data using the Tobit technique indicates that rule-breaking behavior was associated with being young, black, and male; and with having a relatively high number of prior convictions, having been unemployed prior to incarceration, and having been imprisoned for a relatively long period. Misconduct showed no relationship to domestic (marital) status, educational achievement, alcohol and drug problems, military service, income level, current offense, interaction with family and friends outside of prison, hours spent outside of cell, or daily activity. Policy implications of findings are discussed, and inmate misconduct is considered within the broad context of interaction among inmate traits, prison-level characteristics, and extra-institutional factors. 4 tables and 68 references. (Author abstract modified)