Unpacking the relationship between age and prison misconduct. Issue 5 (September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Valentine, Colby L.; Mears, Daniel P.; Bales, William D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of criminal justice. Volume 43:Issue 5(2015:Sep./Oct.)
• Page Start: 418
• Page End: 427
• Publication Date: 2015-09
• Subjects: Criminal justice, Administration of -- Periodicals; Justice pénale -- Administration -- Périodiques; 364.05
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2015.05.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0047-2352

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="author" id="ab0005"> <title id="st0005">Abstract</title> <sec> <title id="st0010">Purpose</title> <p id="sp0005">Age constitutes one of the most robust correlates of prison misconduct—younger inmates are more likely to commit infractions. Minimal theoretical or empirical attention, however, has been given to the potential nonlinear effect of age on misconduct. The current study examines the age-misconduct relationship and how it may vary by timing of misconduct after admission and by type of infraction. The paper also assesses the utility of different nonlinear transformations to estimate the age-misconduct relationship.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0015">Methods</title> <p id="sp0010">The study examines 137, 552 offenders admitted to state prison in Florida from 1995 to 2000 and uses negative binomial regression to assess the relationship between age and misconduct.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0020">Results</title> <p id="sp0015">Analyses indicate that the youngest inmates, especially those age 24 and under, are substantially more likely to engage in misconduct, that this relationship is more pronounced during the initial months of incarceration, and that it holds regardless of type of offense.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0025">Conclusions</title> <p id="sp0020">The youngest inmates appear to be especially likely to engage in misconduct. Nonlinear specifications of the age-misconduct relationship should be employed in future research. Studies are needed to explain why misconduct is disproportionately higher among young inmates. Policies are needed that effectively reduce misconduct among this population.</p> </sec> </abstract>