An Examination of Changes in Prison Crowding on Prison Disorder

• In Event: Mass Incarceration, Crowding and Overcrowding: International and National Data

Abstract

Several scholars have examined the effects of crowding on prison disorder (e.g., assaults on inmates or staff) using cross-sectional data, but there have been few attempts to use longitudinal data to examine whether changes in crowding over time influence prison disorder. This study uses several waves of the Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities to examine whether changes in crowding are associated with increases in prison disorder. A multilevel longitudinal modeling strategy is used to assess whether prison and state level characteristics predict rates of prison disorder over time. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Author

• H. Daniel Butler, Sam Houston State University