Is prison crowding related to prison misconduct, prison violence and recidivism? The results of meta-analyses

• In Event: Prison Working Group: Prison design and housing conditions: Implications for detained persons, policymakers, and the community

Abstract

Prison violence seems to be the norm rather than the exception in many prisons worldwide. In the UK, around 80% of prisoners are victims of bullying on a monthly basis in some studies, while 74% of prisoners bully others. In Canada, the prevalence of weekly bullying is 58%, while the prevalence of victimization is 73%. In Croatia, the weekly prevalence of bullying and victimization is 40% and 55% respectively. Following the rapid increases in incarceration rates in many countries, prison crowding has been considered as a possible cause of prison violence and misconduct in many studies, but with conflicting results. By synthetizing the results of primary studies of the highest quality, our meta-analysis sheds new light on the relationship between prison crowding and prison violence, misconduct and recidivism. It discusses moderating effects of prison’s population composition (e.g. juvenile vs. adult prisons), the prison security level, inmate turnover, management style, and levels of inmate program involvement. It concludes with guidance for future research and practice.

Authors

• Ivana Sekol, University of Sheffield

• Izabela Zych, University of Cordoba

• David Farrington, University of Cambridge