A Mixed Methods Analysis of Serious Misconduct within a Prison Context

• In Event: Inmate Violence and Misconduct

Abstract

The safety of both inmates and staff is a pressing concern for correctional administrators. Recent work surrounding prison violence and victimization has started to move beyond individual-level predictors. However, scholarly research examining the impact of prison contextual factors is still limited in scope due to a dependence on secondary data sources. We extend prior work on prison violence by utilizing a mixed methods approach within 28 Ohio prisons that incorporates a wide range of predictors of serious misconduct, including administrative data (individual-level predictors, crowding, inmate composition), prison site visits (variation in physical layout, surveillance, and housing unit design features), and a large-scale staff survey (organizational climate, perceptions of operational practices within housing units). We conclude by discussing the implications these findings have for operational efficiency and violence reduction strategies within correctional institutions.

Authors

• Brian R. Kowalski, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

• Derek Ault, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

• Kathleen A. Lamb, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

• Brian D. Martin, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction