Analyzing Prison Misconduct: Gender-Specific Predictors of Rule Violations

• In Event: Gender, Health, and the Politics of Care in Correctional Institutions

Abstract

Maintaining institutional order presents a significant challenge for prison administrators. While a body of literature exploring the correlates of prison misconduct exists, most of such research has relied exclusively on male samples. The present study addresses this gap by using data from the 2016 Survey of Prison Inmates (SPI), a nationally representative survey of incarcerated men and women. In addition to testing the effect of variables traditionally associated with prison misconduct, this paper also considered factors particularly relevant to women’s pathways to criminality, such as mental health and substance abuse. Almost 60% of individuals in the sample reported having been written up for breaking prison rules, a higher percent that has been found by prior studies. Gender was a significant predictor of prison rule-breaking, as women were 10% less likely to engage in misconduct. Although some variables predicted recidivism among both men and women, our analyses found that some predictors had differential effects based on gender. Findings, and policy implications for correctional management and treatment, will be discussed.

Authors

• Irina Fanarraga, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Katarzyna Celinska, John Jay College of Criminal Justice