Delinquent Careers Behind Bars

Abstract

There is an increasing recognition that incarceration time, instead of a period characterized by intermittency or lulls in offending, is for many a period of continued involvement in misconduct and other problematic behaviors. Yet, despite mounting evidence on the offending patterns of incarcerated adults, little research attention has been paid to the institutional behavior of incarcerated delinquents. The current research explored the institutional misconduct careers of 2,520 serious and violent delinquent offenders incarcerated in a large southern juvenile correctional system. Analyses revealed that the study cohort engaged in more than 200,000 instances of minor misconduct behaviors and nearly 19,000 instances of major misconduct behaviors during their incarceration. Multivariate analyses examining the incidence of major, minor, and assaultive institutional misconduct revealed that offenders with more extensive delinquent backgrounds had an increased expected rate of misconduct, net the effects of a number of variables. Implications for research and practice are explored.

Violent criminals locked up: Examining the effect of incarceration on behavioral continuity

“…The findings also concur with prior studies, although focused on inmates convicted of homicides, which found that those whose crimes involved the violent contemporaneous offenses of robbery, assault, car jacking, or kidnapping were more likely to commit dangerous acts of misconduct in prison (Cunningham, Reidy, & Sorensen, 2008;Cunningham & Sorensen, 2007b;Sorensen & Pilgrim, 2000). The current finding of a lower probability of prison misconduct among sex offenders is consistent with findings from a prior study of long-term inmates (Cunningham & Sorensen, 2006), but inconsistent with findings from a study of incarcerated youthful offenders (Trulson et al, 2010).…”

“…Consistent with prior studies, the current study found that inmates convicted of homicide were no more likely to engage in dangerous rule violations than inmates convicted of property crimes Trulson et al, 2010). The findings also concur with prior studies, although focused on inmates convicted of homicides, which found that those whose crimes involved the violent contemporaneous offenses of robbery, assault, car jacking, or kidnapping were more likely to commit dangerous acts of misconduct in prison (Cunningham, Reidy, & Sorensen, 2008;Cunningham & Sorensen, 2007b;Sorensen & Pilgrim, 2000).…”

“…Those convicted of property, drug, and public order/weapons crimes were more prone to commit serious and potentially violent rule misconduct than the residual category of inmates convicted of (non-homicidal) violent crimes. A recent study of juveniles confined for serious delinquent acts similarly found that those adjudicated for homicides (the residual category) were least likely to commit assaults on staff members and other wards (Trulson, DeLisi, Caudill, Belshaw, & Marquart, 2010).…”

Sugar and spice and everything nice? Exploring institutional misconduct among serious and violent female delinquents

“…Such a level of involvement in institutional misconduct, particularly behaviors that would be considered law violations outside of institutions, implicates the need for attention to such behaviors among institutionalized female populations. A burgeoning body of research is beginning to recognize the deleterious consequences that involvement in institutional misconduct may have on the future prognoses of incarcerated delinquent offenders, including their post-release recidivism outcomes (Huebner et al, 2007;Lattimore et al, 2004;Trulson, 2007;Trulson, Marquart, Mullings & Caeti, 2005;Trulson et al, 2010;Trulson et al, in press). This body of research has pointed to the need to examine those individuals most at-risk of involvement in institutional violations because of the consequences to follow.…”

“…As others have noted, involvement in institutional misconduct can lead to numerous short-and longterm negative consequences for institutional populations (Trulson, DeLisi, Caudill, Belshaw, & Marquart, 2010). In addition to institutional consequences such as restricted housing and decreased access to rehabilitative programming, continued offending on the "inside" can lead to numerous larger system consequences such as lengthened periods of incarceration and additional delinquent or criminal sanctions for offenses committed while incarcerated (Trulson et al, 2010).…”