Institutional Aggression in Prisons

Question 1

What are the two explinations of aggression in prisons

Answer 1

The Deprivation Model or the Importation Model

Question 2

What does the deprivation model claim

Answer 2

That it is the result of the stressful and oppressive conditions of prisons that institutional aggression occurs. Skyes describes loss of liberty, loss of autonomy and loss of security as main contributing factors.

Question 3

What might aggression be to avoid in the deprivation model

Answer 3

A study of over 200 prison inmates by Kimmet and Martin discovered that violence in prison is frequently a way of avoiding exploitation, and that most violent situations were more to do with non-material interests like need for respect and fairness or as a way of expressing loyalty or honour

Question 4

Who suggested that loss of liberty, autonomy and security were reasons for aggression

Answer 4

Skyes

Question 5

Who did a study of over 200 prisioners and found that aggression was to avoid being anally raped

Answer 5

Kimmet and Martin

Question 6

What is some situational context behind the deprivation model

Answer 6

• Overcrowding - A 2014 government report found this was attributed to record rates of murder
  -Heat and Noise - This exacerbates the effects of overcrowding and predisposes prisoners to aggression
  -Job Burnout - Among prison staff this leads to a gradual loss of caring about people with whom they work. This has been linked to increased violence

Question 7

What is the idea of the importation model of institurional aggression

Answer 7

Prisoners are not ‘blank sates’ entering prison, and many normative systems developed outside of prisons are imported in, such as gang culture, the “code of the streets” and survival skills. Thsese make prisoners aggressive people when coming in

Question 8

How does gang membership relate to the importation model

Answer 8

It is consistently related to violence and other forms of anti-social behaviour. Pre-prison gang membership appears to be an important determinant of prison miscoduct, with several studies finding gang members disproportionatelt engage in violent acts in prison.

Question 9

What study has found gang members are more likely to do crime in prison

Answer 9

A study by Drury and DeLisi of over 1000 inmates in the US found that those who had been members of gangs before coming to prison were significantly more likely to engage in various types of misconduct in prison, including hostage taking and assault with a deadly weapon (fucking sharpened toothbrush or some shit)

Question 10

Who studied over 100 prisoners and found gangalang members were more likely to engage in a cheeky bit of hostage taking

Answer 10

Drury and DeLisi

Question 11

What dispositonal characteristics have been found to contribute to aggressive behaviours in prison

Answer 11

Anger, anti-social personality style and impulsivity -Wang and Diamond found these three characteristics were better predictors of institutional aggression than ethnicity or type of offence committed
Low self-control - DeLisi et al found that low self control was a significant predictor of aggressive behaviour both before and during incarceration

Question 12

Who found that characteristics were a better predictor of aggression than race (slightly racist)

Answer 12

Wang and Diamond

Question 13

Who found that low self-control may lead to violence

Answer 13

DeLisi

Question 14

What is research support for the importation model (eval)

Answer 14

Mears et al tested the cultural belief systems that prisoners import with them into prison. He measured the “code of the street” beleif system and prison experience of inmates. Results supported the argument that this affects inmate violence, with the effects particularly pronounced in those who lack family support and were involved in gangs prior to incarceration. Mears concluded that although it does not cause violent behaviour, it does call for proactive responses to perceived insults and provocations

Question 15

Who studied the “code of the street”

Answer 15

Mears

Question 16

What are challenges to the importation model (eval)

Answer 16

DeLisi found that inmates with prior street gang involvement were no more likely to be involved in prison violence than other inmates. Neither street nor prison gang membership was a significant predictor. These findings may be explained by the fact that violent gang members tend to be isolated from the general inmate population, therefore restricitng their opportunity for violence

Question 17

Who found that gang membership didn’t predict institutional aggression

Answer 17

DeLisi

Question 18

What is some real life application of the situation explination for institutional aggression (eval)

Answer 18

Prison Govenor David Wilson reasoned that if it were true prison violence could be avoided by reducing noise, heat and overcrowding. He set up two units for violent prisoners that were less claustrophobic, had the typical noise of prison life masked by music and had temperature lowered. These changes virtually eradicated assaults on prison staff and other inmates

Question 19

Who made prisons less shit to reduce violence

Answer 19

Prison Govenor David Wilson

Question 20

What are some challenges to the deprivation model (eval)

Answer 20

One of the most exhaustive studies of prison violence challenges this view. Harer and Steffensmeier collected data from over 24,000 inmates in 58 prisons across the US, including importation and deprivation variables and tested which of these variables predicted the likelyhood of institutionally aggressive behaviours in prison. They concluded that age and criminal history were the only significant predictors of prison violence

Question 21

Who did one of the most exhaustive studies of prison violence

Answer 21

Harer and Steffensmeier