NCJ Number
229002
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 26 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2009 Pages: 795-826
Date Published
December 2009
Length
32 pages
Annotation
This study explored the implications of different research methods for an understanding of the empirical relationship between prison crowding and inmate violence, specifically the prevalence of inmate assaults on other inmates or staff.
Abstract
Findings revealed differences across methods in the direction and significance of the crowding/assault relationship. These differences were then considered in order to derive a strategy for more uniform research on the topic, which consists of including both total inmate population and design capacity as separate predictors in the same model, examination of tri-level data in order to control compositional differences in inmate populations across facilities and to remove confounding state-level differences in crowding levels and assault rates, and more careful consideration of secondary analyzes of complex samples with sample weights. Empirical studies of the effects of prison crowding on inmate misconduct have produced mixed findings. This study examined the impact of three methodological differences on estimates of crowding effects on assaults (on other inmates and/or staff). These differences involved alternate measures of crowding levels of analysis and sample designs. Tables and references