Institutional Aggression: Situational Explanation

Question 1

Institutional Aggression: Situational Explanation

Deprivation Model

Answer 1

• The deprivation model places causes of institutional aggression on the prison environment.
• Harsh conditions are stressful for inmates and they cope by resorting to aggressive or violent behaviour.
• Deprivation of materials is closely linked to aggression because it increases competition between inmates.
• Aggression is also influenced by the nature of the prison regime, unpredictable ones can cause frustration and reduces stimulation.
• Aggression becomes an adaptive solution for the problem of deprivation.

Question 2

Institutional Aggression: Situational Explanation

Prison-level Factors

Answer 2

• Steiner (2009) found inmate on inmate violence was more common in prisions with a higher proportion of female staff and overcrowded.
• These are prison-level factors because they predicted aggressive behaviour in line with the deprivation model.