Developmental Patterns of Prison Misconduct Among those with Long-Term Sentences

• In Event: Advances and New Avenues in DLC Research: Methods, Theory, and Applications

Abstract

A Developmental/Life-Course perspective has recently been employed to examine patterns of inmate misconduct as well as the importation and deprivation factors that distinguish group membership. Findings from this research indicate that the behavior of adults in custody can be dynamic, exhibiting changes in misconduct throughout incarceration. While this emerging research has shown the heterogeneity of correctional misconduct, it is still in infant stages. Specifically, studies examining trajectories of misconduct have been limited to short follow-up periods, with the longest including less than 10 years of data. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to build on this knowledge by examining the trajectories of misconduct among a sample of adults in custody over the last 20 years, as well as factors that predict group membership.

Author

• Zachary Bucnker, University of Mississippi