Institutional Aggression in Prisons

Institutional Aggression in Prisons

1. Dispositional Explanation: The Importation Model

   • Inmates bring with them to prison their violent pasts
   • Pre-prison gang membership is an important determinant of prison misconduct
   • Other dispositional characteristics include inability to cope with adversity and anger

2. Situational Explanation: The Deprivation Model

   • Institutional aggression is the product of stressful conditions of prison
   • Violence is a way of surviving the risk of exploitation (Kimmet and Martin)
   • Other situational characteristics include overcrowding, heat and noise

3. Evaluation

   • Research support for the Importation Model
     • A 'code of the street' belief system is imported into prison an affects inmate violence (Mears et al)
   • Challenges to the Importation Model
     • Inmates with street gang involvement were no more likely to engage in prison violence (DeLisi et al)
   • Research support for the Deprivation Model
     • E.g. overcrowding, lack of privacy and lack of meaningful activity influenced assaults
   • Real-world application
     • HMP Woodhill and the Deprivation Model