Predictors of Violence Reported by Female and Male Inmates in Wisconsin State Prisons

Abstract

The present study compared predictors of violence as suggested by the importation and deprivation models and the newly utilized threat appraisal and coping models. Participants included 290 female and 472 male inmates in Wisconsin state prisons who completed anonymous surveys to report seven characteristics they import to prison and to report three social stressors experienced during the deprivation and powerlessness of the prison experience. Multiple regression revealed that for both female and male inmates, violence was associated with the imported characteristics of younger age and impulsivity and with in-prison stressors from correctional staff and family. Years of incarceration was a significant predictor of violence only for males. As suggested from past research, the personality pattern of hostility was associated with violence, particularly in male inmates, and internal locus of control was associated with violence, particularly in female inmates.

Keywords:

• Inmate violence
• personality
• social stressors
• gender differences
• impulsiveness

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank the Wisconsin Department of Corrections’ Research Review Committee for its support with the sample acquisition.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for the research was provided by Penn State Schuylkill and University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, which had no role in study design, data collection, statistical analysis, interpretation of results, preparation of the manuscript, or the decision to submit the article for publication.