Importation deprivation (institutional aggression)

Importation deprivation (institutional aggression)

1. 1 - IMPORTATION MODEL. dispositional causes

   • Irwin & Cressey claimed that institutional aggression in prisons is due to dispositional causes
     • certain characteristics people bring into the prisons, predisposes whether they will behave aggressively within the prison.
       • interpersonal violence in prisons is not a product of the prison itself (situational causes/environment)
         • this suggests that ordinary people, if placed in a restrictive environment, would not ACT aggressively because they were not originally aggressive

2. 2 - who is most likely to show aggression in prisons?

   • Younger inmates
     • more likely to view violence as an appropriate response to conflicts
     • have more difficulty adjusting to prison life
   • Members of violent gangs
     • gang members tend to import their previously violent ways into the prison setting
   • Males
     • men bring into prison, a ready made aggressive way of behaving and handling situations
   • Black inmates
     • more likely to be associated with violence than white members
       • Black inmates tend to come from more impoverished communities, with higher rates of violent crime
         • they bring into the prison cultural norms that condone violent behaviour

3. 3 -Supporting research

   • Harer and Steffensmeier support the importation model
     • Analysed data from 58 US prisons and found that black inmates displayed significantly higher levels of violent behaviour
       • (they also had lower rates of alcohol and drug misconduct than white inmates)
       • this provides evidence that racial characteristics are imported into prison and can lead to aggressive behaviour
         • however, it could be argued that black groups experience more segregation and abuse.
           • therefore they respond with aggression as a defence mechanism

4. 4 - Strength of this explanation = looks at subcultures

   • this explanation provides a holistic (considers all options) view, instead of viewing all inmates as having one set of shared values.
     • E.G. kane found that greater periods of unemployment, a lower level of education and a more serious criminal record were all correlated with a greater chance of aggression while imprisoned.
       • therefore the importation model considers several dispositional factors which may lead to aggressive behaviours,

5. 5 - Deprivation model

   • Claims that institutional aggression is due to situational causes and factors present in prison. (such as loss of freedom) which lead to aggression from people who otherwise would not have been
     • It is situational causes not dispositional causes that account for prison violence
     • even if prisoners enter prison with different cultural views and behaviour on violence, it is the experience of prison that causes ....
       • stress
       • anger
         • all lead to violence
       • frustration
   • prisoners are more likely to direct their aggression towards staff because they control privileges and it is them that cause the deprivation

6. 6 - examples of deprivations

   • Deprivation of ..
     • LIBERTY
       • not trusted to be free
     • AUTONOMY
       • no power, choices, identity, civil rights
     • GOODS AND SERVICES
     • HETEROSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS
     • SECURITY
       • Live in fear, arousal of aggression

7. 7 - supporting research

   • wilson provides support for the deprivation model
     • he designed and managed 2 special units for the 12 most violent prisoners in the UK. Manipulating the temperature, noise and crowding to see how the inmates would react
       • decreasing these factors stimulated a dramatic decrease in the violent conduct among the prisoners
         • Supporting the deprivation model because despite the violent prisoners being 'imported' it was the situation that led to their behaviour

8. 8 - IDA lack of real life app

   • the deprivation model might not be relevant in modern day
     • this is because the deprivations inmates previously faced is no longer an issue due to the inmates rights movement
       • prisons now focus on training, education and other meaningful activities, as well as increasing provision of anger management courses.
         • but despite this violence levels still remain high
           • suggesting that aggression in prisons can be attributed to prisoner characteristics prior to confinement which negates the deprivation model