DISCIPLINARY OFFENSE PATTERNS OF MALE AND FEMALE INMATES (FROM CONFERENCE ON CORRECTIONS, 1978, BY VERNON FOX SEE NCJ-59701)

• NCJ Number: 59709
• Author(s): C A LINDQUIST
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Ctr for Professional Development and Public Service; Florida State University
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRISON DISCIPLINARY OFFENSES OF 243 INMATES AND THE SEVERITY OF THE OFFENSES FOR WHICH THEY WERE COMMITTED, THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, AND THEIR ASSAULTIVENESS IS STUDIED.

Abstract

DURING 1976, MAJOR OFFENSES OF MALE AND FEMALE INMATES IN A SOUTHEASTERN STATE WERE EXAMINED. DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM CONVICTED MAJOR DISCIPLINARY OFFENDERS FROM AN ESSENTIALLY MINIMUM SECURITY MALE INSTITUTION (243 OF 1,200 INMATES) AND FROM THE STATE'S ONLY FEMALE INSTITUTION (147 OF 550 INMATES). PERSONALITY SCORES OF THE INMATES INDICATED THAT MOST PRISON DISCIPLINARY PROBLEMS OCCURRED WITHIN RECOGNIZED CLINICAL GROUPINGS (IMPULSIVENESS ASSOCIATED WITH HYPOMANIA, PSYCHOPATHIC BEHAVIORAL TENDENCIES, AND SCHIZOPHRENIC PERSONALITY PATTERNS). DESPITE BEING OUTNUMBERED ON A FIVE TO THREE BASIS, WOMEN OFFENDERS COMMITTED A MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF OFFENSES. A SIMILAR PATTERN EXISTED WITH REGARD TO THE FREQUENCY OF DISCIPLINARY OFFENSES. FOR BOTH SEXES, HOWEVER, FREQUENT OFFENDERS WERE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED FOR PROPERTY OFFENSES. HIGH-FREQUENCY FEMALE OFFENDERS COMMITTED ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF HIGH-SEVERITY FEMALE OFFENSES, WHILE HIGH-FREQUENCY MALE OFFENDERS COMMITTED ONLY ONE-THIRD OF HIGH-SEVERITY MALE OFFENSES. RACE WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT WITH REGARD TO THE OVERALL SEVERITY OF OFFENSES, BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT IN EVALUATING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE ASSAULTERS. BLACK MEN AND BLACK WOMEN COMMITTED A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF ASSAULTS, POSSIBLY PROVIDING SOME SUPPORT FOR THE NOTION THAT A SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE EXISTS. ASSAULTERS, BOTH MALE AND FEMALE, WERE SIGNIFICANTLY YOUNGER THAN NONASSAULTERS. FEMALES WHO COMMITTED SERIOUS CRIMES TENDED TO RECEIVE LESS SEVERE PUNISHMENT THAN MALES WHO COMMITTED SIMILAR OFFENSES. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PRISON DISCIPLINARY SYSTEM BE REVISED AND THAT WAYS BE FOUND TO DEAL WITH THE INDIVIDUAL DISCIPLINARY OFFENDER IN ORDER TO REDUCE PRISON VIOLENCE. IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO DISCIPLINARY PROBLEMS ARE CONSIDERED. SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED.