Rethinking the Link Between Institutional Crowding and Inmate Misconduct

Benjamin Steiner, John Wooldredge

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

49 Scopus citations

Abstract

Studies of prison crowding effects on inmate misconduct have produced anomalous findings, perhaps because of the cross-study differences in research methods. Different methods are important for several goals of scientific inquiry, but there are advantages to adopting similar approaches when studying a policy-relevant question. A cross-section of studies is reviewed toward the end of providing a strategy for more uniform research on the topic. Of primary interest are (a) operationalization of concepts; (b) underlying explanations for possible effects of crowding on misconduct; (c) the direct, indirect, and conditioning effects of crowding on misconduct; and (d) the bi-level nature of the crowding—misconduct relationship.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)205-233
Number of pages29
JournalThe Prison Journal
Volume89
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • inmate misconduct
  • institutional crowding

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Law

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