Institutional aggression in the context of prison Flashcards
What is institutional aggression?
Aggressive or violent behaviour that takes place within the context of a formal organised setting, e.g. prison
What is meant by a dispositional explanation?
Highlights the cause of a behaviour as being due to the characteristics of the individual (their disposition) rather than any aspect of the situation
What is meant by a situational explanation?
Highlights the cause of a behaviour as being due to the context in which it occurs rather than the characteristics of the individual
What is a dispositional explanation for institutional aggression?
The importation model
What is the importation model (Irwin and Cressey, 1962)?
When prisoners’ violent pasts and experiences are ‘imported’ into the prison causing aggressive behaviour (prisoners do not enter the prison as ‘blank slates’) – influences their use of aggression to establish power, status, influence and access to resources
What is a research study which shows support for the importation model?
DeLisi et al. (2011)
What is a situational explanation for institutional aggression?
The deprivation model
What is the deprivation model (Clemmer, 1958)?
- Prisoners act more aggressively in response to the oppressive conditions of the prison (e.g. psychological= deprived of freedom, independence and sexual intimacy, and physical= services and good)
- Deprivation leads to frustration and lack of stimulation – use aggression as a means of coping
What is a research study which shows support for the deprivation model?
Steiner (2009)
What is the research evidence for the importation model?
DeLisi et al. (2011) studied a group of juvenile offenders in Californian institutions who had negative backgrounds (e.g. childhood trauma, anger, histories of substance abuse and violent behaviour).
These individuals were importing these characteristics (and the resulting dispositions) into prison.
The researchers compared this group with a control group of inmates who did not have these negative features.
The ‘negative’ inmates were more likely to engage in suicidal activity, sexual misconduct and acts of physical aggression.
What is the research evidence for the deprivation model?
Steiner (2009) investigated the factors that predicted inmate aggression in 512 US prisons.
The study found that inmate-on-inmate violence was more common in prisons where there were higher proportions of female staff, overcrowding and inmates in protective custody for their own safety.
These environmental factors, which are independent of individual characteristics of the prisoners, reliably predicted aggressive behaviour in line with the deprivation model.
What is the strength for the importation model?
Research support
Camp and Gaes (2005) studied male inmates. They placed half in low-security prisons and the other half in the second-highest category of prisons. They found that 33% of prisoners in the low security prisons and 36% of prisoners in the higher category prisons were involved in aggressive misconduct. These findings were not statistically significant which suggests that features of the prison environment are less important predictors of aggressive behaviour than characteristics of the inmates.
What is the limitation for the importation model?
Alternative explanation
Dilulio (1991) argues that the importation model is an inadequate explanation of aggressive behaviour as it ignores role of prison officials and factors relating to the running of prisons.
He proposed an administrative control model (ACM) – poorly managed prisons are more likely to experience the most serious forms of inmate violence. Factors such as weak and indecisive leadership, informal and unofficial rules, staff who are distant from inmates and few opportunities for education are more influential in determining aggression than inmate characteristics.
What are the two strengths for the deprivation model?
Research support
McCorkle et al. (1995) studied 371 US prisons. It was found that situational factors, such as overcrowding and lack of privacy, significantly influenced violent assaults. Prisons in which a major percentage of the prison population involved itself in educational programmes had a lower incidence of violence against staff and inmates.
Real-world application
In the early 1990s, David Wilson, prison Governor of HM Woodhill prisons, reasoned that if most violence occurs in environments that are hot, noisy and overcrowded, then this could be avoided by reducing these factors. Wilson set up two units for violent prisoners that were less claustrophobic and ‘prison-like’, less noisy and cooler in temperature. These changes virtually eliminated assaults on staff and other inmates.
What is the limitation for the deprivation model?
Contradictory research
Hensley et al. (2002) studied 256 male and female inmates of two prisons in Mississippi, a state in the US which allows conjugal visits (visits romantic partners specifically to have sex).
The deprivation model would predict that this would lead to a reduction in aggression as they are not being deprived of sexual intimacy. However, there was no link between involvement in these visits and reduced aggressive behaviour.
