The Short-Term Effects of Incarceration on the Criminal Trajectory

• In Event: Life-Course Outcomes of Criminal Justice-Involved Populations

Abstract

Although prison is deterrent by nature, many criminological studies do not fail to emphasize that it also has its share of perverse effects. By reducing social integration opportunities, through exclusion and stigmatization, incarceration could therefore reinforce the individual’s identity of delinquency and promote recidivism. Through prison (by interacting with other inmates) offenders could also develop their criminal skills and expand their network in order to be more effective in crime. The overall objective is to see whether incarceration has a deterrent effect or a criminogenic effect. This study is based on detailed criminal career data from 41 offenders involved in profit oriented crimes. Drawing from the method of life history calendars, our research design allows to disentangle the short-term effect of incarceration on criminal trajectories. This research compares monthly pre-and post-incarceration periods or, in other words, the criminal trajectory occurring before and after release from prison. More specifically, it intends to analyze the effect of incarceration on parameters of criminal career: frequency and diversification of crimes committed and criminal earnings. This study will help to better understand the impact of incarceration in the life course of offenders.

Authors

• Frédéric Ouellet, Université de Montréal

• Ségolène Gabory, Université de Montréal