Struggling to Adapt? Understanding the Connection between Prison Misconduct and Mental Wellbeing

• In Event: Convict Criminology Panel #1: “Prison Experiences and Health”

Abstract

Prior research has traditionally treated prison misconduct as indicative of poor adaptation to life inside a correctional facility. In addition, misconduct and poor adaptation are often conflated with mental health, such that misconduct may be a symptom of poor adjustment and related struggles with mental health. However, classic work on prison life suggests that breaking prison rules and engaging in violence in particular may in fact reflect a certain brand of successful coping to prison life. This study aims to disentangle the complicated relationship between prison misconduct and mental wellbeing. We hypothesize that if misconduct is reflective of poor coping, it will be more prevalent earlier in prison life, especially among those with mental health conditions. On the other hand, if misconduct is more often an example of successful coping, we would predict the timing of misconduct to be more random or to increase with time, especially among those with no mental health conditions. We utilize data from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to investigate these questions.

Authors

• Lauren Porter, University of Maryland

• Meghan Kozlowski, University of Maryland