Prison Discipline and the Female Offender

• NCJ Number: 73380
• Journal: Journal of Offender Counseling, Services and Rehabilitation Volume: 4 Issue: 4 Dated: (Summer 1980) Pages: 305-318
• Author(s): C A Lindquist
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 14 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Earlier version of this paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Dallas (TX), November 10, 1978

Annotation

A survey of 147 female and 243 male disciplinary offenders from same-sex institutions compared background and disciplinary sanctions and found that offense frequency was greatest during the first year of incarceration.

Abstract

Insubordination accounted for about one-third of all offenses; and nonwhites were significantly more assaultive. When offense severity was controlled, females received significantly less severe punishment than males in most of the offense categories. The findings suggest that attention should be given to inmate adjustment during the first year of incarceration, staff response to insubordination, and disparity of punishment based on sex. Prison rules and regulations should be based on the view that some acting-out behavior can be expected from inmates, especially during the first year of incarceration, that such behavior is healthier than complete internalization of tension and hostility, and the lack of deference to authority is preferable to violence. Current rules should be reviewed and revised so that only those necessary for the personal security of inmates and staff are retained. Correctional officers should be trained to understand and not overreact to inmate verbal aggression and other nonviolent expressions of frustration and hostility. Also, concepts of due process and equal protection of the law should form the framework for a just disciplinary system. Tabular data and about 50 references are provided.