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Before 1975, prisoners in France could only marry if they successfully petitioned the state for permission. This article examines how local, regional and national officials dealt with marriage requests submitted by male inmates of the Camps de Mauzac in the Dordogne between 1946 and 1959. It reveals that they consistently adjudicated the petitions according to a standard of sexual morality focused on female behaviour: prisoners were permitted to wed only if police investigations could confirm the virtuous private lives of their un‐incarcerated fiancées. State actors justified this mode of judgment by invoking the rehabilitative power of good wives to heal male degeneracy. Through the Mauzac cases, this article illustrates that traditionalist ideals of heterosexual matrimony and anxieties over female promiscuity remained central to negotiations of state power over the lives of marginalised people in post‐1945 France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the operation and impact of a specialist wing in a male prison, which aims to repair and enhance family relationships. It outlines the damaging effects of parental imprisonment on children and on paternal identity, and explores whether, and how, residence on the wing and prisoners' joint participation with children and families in extended visits and family‐focused activities and interventions, mitigate such damage. The findings are overwhelmingly positive, demonstrating improvements in well‐being among children and family members, enhanced family relationships, and a stronger sense of paternal identity among prisoners. It is argued that these activities set in motion processes akin to those postulated by Burke (1991) as necessary for maintenance and renewal of identity: namely, the 'verification' of 'identity standards' through 'reflective appraisal' by key referent groups (here, families and children). There is also evidence that positive changes in prisoners quite frequently persist after release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relation between psychopathic traits and suicide ideation (SI) is frequently discussed but little research has examined potential mechanisms underlying this association. The interpersonal theory of suicide (ITS) proposes two mechanisms in the pathogenesis of suicidal desire: thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB). This study cross-sectionally tested TB and PB as possible explanatory links in the relation between psychopathic traits and SI.Method: Archival data from 784 male U.K. prisoners (Mage  = 37.21, SD = 9.97) were analyzed using structural equation modeling.Results: Psychopathic traits were indirectly associated with SI through more specific suicide-promoting processes - namely TB and PB. More specifically, results indicated that Egocentricity and Stimulus Seeking were indirectly associated with SI through PB and TB in combination. However, results indicated specific indirect effects of TB in the relations between the Antisocial Behavior, Egocentricity, and Stimulus Seeking facets, and SI, whereas specific indirect effects for PB were only significant in the relations between Egocentricity and Stimulus Seeking facets and SI.Conclusion: Preliminary results are consistent with the ITS and suggest that psychopathic traits may be distal risk markers for SI and provide direction for future research that could inform suicide prevention efforts among male prisoners high in such traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mental health problems are common in prison populations. Less is known about how mental health problems develop during imprisonment. The objective was to examine the longitudinal course of mental health symptoms during imprisonment and individual factors associated with the development of these symptoms. Method: In a prospective cohort study, 1.664 Dutch male prisoners were questioned 3 weeks after their arrival in detention. Those still in custody were questioned again after 3, 9, and 18 months. Multilevel analyses were conducted to identify predictors of the course of mental health symptoms. Results: Prisoners reported continued elevated symptom levels compared to the general population. Inmates who entered detention with pre‐existing mental health problems and problematic alcohol/drugs use showed mental health improvements during detention. Conclusion: The high levels of prisoners’ mental health problems highlight the importance of addressing mental health issues in prison. Imprisonment does not have an overall negative effect on mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many prisoners rationalise criminal behaviour, and this type of thinking has been linked to recidivism. Correctional programmes for modifying criminal thinking can reshape how offenders view themselves and their circumstances.Aim: Our aim was to test whether participation in a cognitive-based curriculum called Steps to Economic and Personal Success (STEPS) was associated with changes in criminal thinking.Methods: The STEPS curriculum is delivered in 15 video-based facilitated classes. A pre-intervention/post-intervention survey design was applied to 128 adult male prisoners who completed the programme. Criminal thinking was measured by the Texas Christian University Criminal Thinking Scale, a self-report instrument with the six domains: entitlement, justification, power orientation, cold heartedness, criminal rationalisation and personal irresponsibility.Results: Participants had lower scores in most of the criminal thinking domains after the intervention than before, with largest reductions in justification and power orientation.Conclusion: Findings provide evidence that attitudes to crime can be changed in a correctional setting, and the programme under study shows promise as an effective intervention for changing these attitudes among prisoners. Future research should build on these findings to examine whether and how such changes are related to desistance from offending behaviours. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rates of reoffending and recall are high among released male prisoners with personality disorder. There is a need for innovative intervention to reduce offending and increase staff confidence in working with such men.Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel intervention consisting of training and consultation termed 'psychologically informed practice', within community-based 'approved premises' for offenders.Method: A pragmatic exploratory trial was used to compare two premises in a South London borough licenced under criminal justice legislation to provide supervised accommodation for selected released prisoners. One used the PIP intervention for 12 months while the other (comparison group) functioned in a similar way but without this intervention. Outcome measures included staff attitudes and offender behaviours.Results: Significant improvements were observed only for the intervention group. Compared with baseline measures, significantly higher levels of knowledge and understanding of personality disorder as well as a greater sense of personal accomplishment were observed in staff who have been trained and supported in psychologically informed practice. Significantly lower rates of warnings and recalls to prison were observed only for the intervention group at 6 months following initial staff training.Conclusion: Psychologically informed practice appears to be sufficiently advantageous for staff and offenders, and the trial feasible, which is a full-scale multi-centre trial, seems warranted. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most research on prison sex has originated in the global West, often employing quantitative methodology. Building on a semi-ethnographic study of a Ukrainian prison, this article explores how prisoners and officers perceive prisoner sex. Rape was not reported in this prison, despite the relatively young prison population. I argue that the informal prisoner power structure of the prison underworld diminishes sexual abuse. Thus, contrary to much of the literature, masculinity, homophobia, and informal prisoner hierarchies can equally instigate and restrain prison violence and sexual victimisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Firesetting has devastating consequences. Although some theoretical efforts have been made to explain firesetting (i.e., a small number of multi- and single-factor theories), little effort has been devoted to understand how deliberate firesetting unfolds across time (i.e., micro or offence chain theories). This research aimed to produce the first descriptive offence chain theory for incarcerated adult male firesetters. Methods Thirty-eight adult male firesetters - recruited from prison establishments in England and Wales - were interviewed about the events, thoughts, and feelings leading up to, surrounding, and immediately following a deliberate incident of firesetting. Results Using grounded theory analysis, the descriptive model of adult male firesetting ( DMAF) was developed documenting the cognitive, behavioural, affective, and contextual factors leading to a single incident of deliberate firesetting. Conclusions New information generated from the DMAF is presented and its contributions to the current evidence base are highlighted. Clinical implications, limitations, and future research directions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggressive disorders are moderately heritable; therefore, identification of genetic influences is important. The X-linked MAOA gene, encoding the MAOA enzyme, has a functional 30 bp repeat polymorphism in the promoter region ( MAOA-LPR) that has been shown to influence aggression. Childhood trauma is a known risk factor for numerous psychopathologies in adulthood including aggressive behaviors. We investigated the interactive effect of MAOA-LPR genotype and a history of childhood trauma in predicting aggressive behaviors in a prisoner population. A total of 692 male prisoners were genotyped for MAOA-LPR with genotypes grouped into high and low transcriptional activity. Participant evaluations included measures of aggression (Brown-Goodwin Lifetime History of Aggression, BGHA), hostility (Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory), impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale), violence directed toward self and others, and childhood trauma [Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)]. MAOA-LPR interacted with CTQ physical neglect (PN), the most common (47%) form of childhood trauma in this sample, to predict BGHA aggression ( P = 0.002). Within the group not exposed to PN, carriers of the MAOA-LPR high-activity variant were more aggressive: ( tR = 2.47, P < 0.014). We observed a crossover effect in that the increase in aggression scores with PN was greater in low-activity individuals ( tR = 5.55, P < 0.0001) than in high-activity individuals ( tR = 4.18, P < 0.0001). These findings suggest that childhood trauma and the functional MAOA-LPR polymorphism may interact to specifically increase risk for over aggressive behavior but not impulsivity or hostility. The MAOA-LPR low-activity variant may be protective against the development of aggressive behavior under low stress conditions, at least in this prisoner population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background Neurocognitive deficits are frequent among male offenders and tend to be associated with a more serious risk of anti-social activity, but they are not systematically allowed for in rehabilitation programmes. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate neurocognitive performance in a sample of sentenced Finnish male prisoners and consider the implications for prison programme entry. Methods Seventy-five sentenced male prisoners were examined using a neurocognitive test battery. Results Depending on the neurocognitive domain, from 5% to 49% of the men demonstrated marked neurocognitive deficits in tests of motor dexterity, visuospatial/construction skills, verbal comprehension, verbal and visual memory and attention shift. Verbal IQ was more impaired than performance IQ. There was no association between most serious offence type and neurocognitive performance, but correlations between attention deficit indices and number of previous convictions suggested that recidivists may have an attention disorder profile. Cluster analysis identified two subgroups of offenders, separated by very poor or merely poor cognitive performance. Motor dexterity, visuo-construction and verbal memory deficits were not wholly explained by lower IQ measures. Conclusions and implications for practice Our sample was small, but the nature and extent of the neurocognitive deficits found suggest that wider use of neurocognitive assessments, which the men generally tolerated well, could help select those most likely to need offender programmes and that the effectiveness of these may be enhanced by some specific cognitive remediation before progressing to more complex social tasks. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Deliberate self-harming behaviour is more prevalent within the prison environment than in community samples, with those in the first weeks of imprisonment at greatest risk. Research in this area has been largely atheoretical and a unifying model may improve the predictability of assessment and the development of intervention approaches. This study applied William and Pollock's (2001) Cry of Pain model as the theoretical process of deliberate self-harm in the early stages of imprisonment. Methods A prospective study of new arrivals at an adult male prison. Participants ( n = 181) completed questionnaires and it was hypothesized that the factors derived from the model (perceived stress, defeat, entrapment, and absence of rescue factors) would be predictive of future deliberate self-harm. Prisoners with active psychosis and non-English speakers were excluded. All participants were followed up for 4 months for instances of self-harm. Eighteen participants engaged in self-harm during this period. Results The Cry of Pain model was supported in the analysis. Hierarchical binary logistic regression confirmed that all features of the model were supported as predictive of future self-harm in prison, even after controlling for previous self-harm, depression, and hopelessness. Conclusion The Cry of Pain model is supported as a predictive model for deliberate self-harm in prison. Suggestions are offered as to the impact on assessment and intervention directions in prison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informed by observations of, and interviews with, male prisoners and female staff, this article proposes that women working in democratic therapeutic communities ( TCs) are credited by prisoners with two 'meanings': as symbolic representatives of familial and intimate nurturers and as gender specialists. The former allows for the emergence of transference relationships, which invites analysis of prior, present, and prospective attachments. The latter enables the communication and translation of 'the woman's perspective', which encourages the development of empathy. Both increase appreciation, and advance reduction, of male offenders' risk factors. Accordingly, the gender of female staff represents a significant rehabilitative resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to estimate the proportion of Regular veterans in England and Wales who are in prison or supervised by a Probation Trust. A cross-sectional data linkage approach was taken, matching a database of Service leavers with prison and probation data. The proportion of those in the criminal justice system who are veterans was estimated to be 3.4%. For men aged 18-54 years, the proportion of the general population in prison was 43% (95% CI: 37%-49%) higher than the proportion of veterans in prison. There is no evidence that veterans are over-represented in the criminal justice system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, consideration is given to the concept of cleanliness and tidiness from the perspective of the masculine prisoner. Themes related to processes of maintaining, and perceptions of, cleanliness emerged, related to the self, personal space, and the cleanliness of others. Running through these were overarching elements of control, differentiation and processes of normalisation, which can be seen to relate concepts of cleanliness directly to the negotiation of the adult male prisoner's gendered identity, implying that keeping clean and tidy relates directly to individuals' senses of masculine self and perceptions of others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role of literacy education among at-risk or incarcerated teenagers in the U.S. in order to prevent recidivism, focusing on the use of urban fiction to improve literacy among these populations. The author comments on literacy education among male teenage prisoners. Topics include culturally responsive teaching to minority incarcerated youths, a table of books geared to different at-risk teen populations such as homeless teenagers, teenagers in gangs, and teenagers in foster care, as well as the use of urban literature in regular classroom curricula.

Research with offenders has tended to use a categorical system of diagnosis or a three-factor model. There is growing evidence among non-offending groups that a five-factor model (FFM), which is more holistic and emphasises strengths as well as limitations, may be more clinically useful. The purpose of this study was to test the validity of the FFM of personality in a sample of adult male prisoners. It was predicted that they would show higher scores for extraversion (E) and lower scores for emotional stability (ES) [the equivalent of higher neuroticism (N)], that E would be predicted by prison experience and age and that the FFM would be confirmed as a better fit to the data over Eysenck's three-factor [P(psychoticism)EN] model. Two independent samples of adult male prisoners were asked to complete the International Personality Item Pool while locked in their cells over the lunchtime period. Parallel and confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the hypotheses. There was a 65 and 75% response rate across the independent samples, resulting in samples of 259 and 183, respectively. Overall, more positive personality traits were evidenced across both samples. E was not predicted by prison experience or age, with increased ES related to increased age in only one sample. The best-fitting model comprised five factors, but represented a variant of the FFM. The value of applying broad conceptualisations of personality to special samples is discussed, with the importance of accounting for positive, as well as negative, traits acknowledged. The presence of increased positive traits in comparison to negative traits is not in keeping with Eysenck's original personality theory of criminal behaviour, with the study highlighting value in accounting more for environmental factors. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Alcohol-related violence is a serious problem and treatments for high-risk individuals need to be developed. Classification helps to route people into appropriate treatments. Drawing on animal research, we define alcohol-related violence in relation to ultimate goals. We propose three types of violence: (1) violence in the pursuit of material goals, (2) violence in pursuit of social dominance goals, and (3) violence as defence in response to threat. The aim is to explore factors that we expect to relate to this tripartite typology, with the aim of providing a preliminary validation. Method. Participants were 149 young male prisoners who had committed an offence of violence that was alcohol related. Semi-structured interviews elicited information about the offence that enabled classification into one of the three types. Differences between groups were examined at the event level - level of violence during the offence and alcohol consumption before the offence - and at group level - trait aggression, trait anxiety, anger control, and alcohol-aggression outcome expectancies. Results. No differences were found in levels of violence or alcohol consumption. Those whose violence was in the pursuit of material goals were high on trait aggression, trait anger, trait anxiety, and anger suppression. Those who used violence in the pursuit of social dominance showed high trait aggression and trait anger. Those whose violence was a defence in response to threat showed lower trait aggression and trait anger. Conclusion. The findings are discussed in relation to differential group profiles and treatment needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent neuroimaging studies investigating the neural correlates of deception among healthy people, have raised the possibility that such methods may eventually be applied during legal proceedings. Were this so, who would volunteer to be scanned? We report a “natural experiment” casting some light upon this question. Following broadcast of a television series describing our team’s investigative neuroimaging of deception in 2007, we received unsolicited (public) correspondence for 12 months. Using a customized template to examine this material, three independent assessors unanimously rated 30 of an initial 56 communications as unequivocally constituting requests for a “scan” (to demonstrate their author’s “innocence”). Compared with the rest, these index communications were more likely to originate from incarcerated males, who were also more likely to engage in further correspondence. Hence, in conclusion, if neuroimaging were to become an acceptable means of demonstrating innocence then incarcerated males may well constitute those volunteering for such investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on an important line of inquiry in contemporary criminal justice social work research: the collateral consequences of incarceration in the Chinese context. It gives an insight into the impact of incarceration on families from an insider's perspective. An analysis of interviews with 10 partners and 10 children yielded three major themes concerning the impact of imprisonment: the problems associated with the imprisonment of a family member, the coping strategies used and views on the importance of maintaining family ties. It is hoped that this study will give practical guidance regarding what should be done, and how, to reduce the negative consequences brought about by the absence (temporary or permanent) of the imprisoned on their families, including both their partners and vulnerable children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Weinberger Adjustment Inventory (WAI) measures social-emotional adjustment along two dimensions: distress and restraint. Four types of adjustment according to this measure have been shown to correlate with criminal recidivism among young male prisoners: reactive (high distress, low restraint), suppressor (high distress, high restraint), non-reactive (low distress, low restraint) and repressor (low distress, high restraint). Aim To evaluate the predictive potential of the WAI among young female prisoners. Methods Women under 30 years old, consecutively admitted to one of three Norwegian prisons, were asked to complete the WAI. Most of those eligible (102, 94%) did so. Re-conviction data were collected from the National Crime Register 38 months (SD = 9.0) after release. Results The overall re-conviction rate was 38%. Rates differed according to the four WAI types: 53% in the non-reactive, 50% in the reactive, 22% in the suppressor and 11% in the repressor group (p = 0.006). Kaplan–Meier analyses showed that group differences were explained by the WAI restraint dimension (p = 0.008). Differences on the distress dimension did not influence re-conviction. Cox regression analysis (adjusting for age at first court conviction and prior offences) found that women with low restraint scores were almost three times as likely to re-offend as women with high restraint scores. Conclusion The WAI appears to be an effective tool for identifying women who are particularly vulnerable to re-offending. Evidence of high capacity for restraint is protective, regardless of distress levels and even after adjusting for the effect of other criminologically important factors. The findings are suggestive that there may be value in individualising ‘treatment’ or rehabilitation programmes for prisoners. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male prisoners with ( n = 132) and without ( n = 132) histories of engaging in self-injurious behavior (SIB) were matched on conviction prefix and custody level. Conditional logistic regression revealed that a combination of risk factors from domains defined by developmental, offense history, mental health, and institutional functioning factors correctly classified 93% of the prisoners in the sample (ROC AUC = 0.89, S.E. = 0.005, p < 0.0001). Model specificity was 92.6% and sensitivity was 95.3%. False positive and false negative rates were 2.3% and 3.4%, respectively. Implications for the assessment of prisoners at risk for SIB as well as suggested future directions for SIB prisoner research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study is to assess whether lack of self-control or the perceived costs and benefits of aggression provide the better predictors of bullying behavior and victimization, and direct aggression perpetration, in a sample of 122 male British prisoners. We also assessed whether bullying was associated with height and weight. Zero-order correlations showed that perceived benefits, self-control, and perceived costs were most closely associated with perpetration of bullying, and that lack of self-control was weakly associated with victimization. Height and weight were unrelated to bullying or victimization. In a standard regression analyses, perceived benefits was the strongest predictor of bullying perpetration, with lack of self-control contributing further; all three variables made a significant contribution when direct aggression was the criterion. Mediation analysis showed that a combined cost–benefit measure partially mediated the association between self-control and both bullying and direct aggression. The findings are discussed in relation to explanations of aggression based on impulse control or a cost–benefit analysis. Aggr. Behav. 35:31–40, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigates differences between inmate mothers’ and fathers’ reported rates of incarceration for family members, adult children, predictors of adult children’s incarceration, and living situations of minor children. Participants included 6,146 inmates who participated in the U.S. Department of Justice Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities. Mothers were 2.5 times more likely to report that their adult children were incarcerated than fathers; mothers’ regular drug use predicted adult child incarceration. Incarcerated mothers reported greater familial incarceration and their minor children were more likely to be in foster and other nonfamilial care situations than incarcerated fathers. As risk factors accumulated, there were greater rates of adult child incarceration, with a more obvious relationship for mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses epistemological and practical issues in conducting research in male prisons from a profeminist standpoint. It considers the role of the male researcher in engaging with prison masculinities and a sexist prison culture. It gives examples of difficulties in managing the profeminist research role in the wider prison and it highlights difficulties that may occur within in interviews. Adapting Goffman's (1970) strategies for inmate survival it concludes that the most appropriate researcher strategy for not compromising the standpoint of the study and yet sustaining a project in prison may be for the researcher to (reflectively) ‘play it cool’ ( Goffman 1970 , p.64). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major public health problem in the United Kingdom (UK) and the limited data available may suggest high prevalence rates (especially of HIV, hepatitis B and C) in the escalating male prison population. Sex, rape and injecting drug use are a part of prison life, yet screening for STIs does not routinely take place and there are inconsistencies in the availability of condoms and other harm-reduction devices. Numerous characteristics of male prisoners (for example, social disadvantage, drug dependency, younger age, black ethnic origin, on remand), their offences (drug, sex, violent) and overcrowded prisons (for example, sharing cells, staff shortages, enforced idleness, transfers) are also considered ‘high risk’ from a sexual health perspective, especially the spread of STIs between prisoners and into the wider population when they are released. There is, therefore, an urgent need for research so that sexual health information and HIV/STI prevention initiatives can be successfully targeted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To estimate the prevalence and causes of vitamin A deficiency disorders (VADD) in adult male prisoners in Nakuru, Kenya. Methods A total of 1048 male prisoners aged ≥16 years in Nakuru Government of Kenya prison in Nakuru, Kenya were examined by an ophthalmologist for signs of xerophthalmia. Two hundred and forty-one cases with xerophthalmia and 448 controls randomly selected from the remaining prison population were interviewed about risk factors for xerophthalmia and blood samples were taken to measure serum retinol and haemoglobin. Results 23.6% (95% CI = 21.1–26.3%) of examined inmates showed at least one sign of xerophthalmia, mostly night blindness (98.8% of cases). In the case–control study, the age-adjusted analyses showed that xerophthalmia was associated with age, length of imprisonment and previous imprisonment. Men with xerophthalmia were significantly more likely be in poor health characterised by significant illness, recent hospital admission, persistent cough, diarrhoea, fever or chronic illness. After multivariate adjustment, duration of imprisonment remained strongly associated with xerophthalmia (OR comparing >4 years with <6 months = 20.1, 95% CI = 8.3–48.8). Previous imprisonment, fever, diarrhoea, hospital admission and chronic illness were also significant predictors. Serum retinol levels were significantly lower in cases than controls, while there was no difference in haemoglobin levels. Conclusion Vitamin A deficiency was a significant public health problem among these Kenyan male prisoners, indicating that it may be important in vulnerable groups other than young children and pregnant or lactating women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to explore attitudes towards self-harm in a sample of prison officers, with subsidiary aims of assessing if these attitudes alter as a function of the prisoner's behavior and the sex of the participant. Method: One hundred and sixty-two officers (100 men and 62 women) completed a general measure of their attitudes towards prisoners and one designed to assess Attitudes towards Prisoners who Self-Harm (APSH). Participants rated their perceptions of two adult male prisoners depicted in vignettes. The vignettes depicted identical types of self-harm but varied the behavioral characteristics of the prisoners involved, with one depicted as "well-behaved" and the other as "disruptive". Results: Women were more likely than men to report positive attitudes towards self-harm and in particular were less likely than men to endorse negative myths regarding self-harm. The prisoner depicted as "disruptive" invoked increased negative attitudes than the "well-behaved" prisoner. This finding was consistent across sex. Conclusion: The current study indicates that APSH are comprised of a number of components that were influenced by the sex of the participant and the behavioral characteristics of the prisoners depicted. The implications of these findings to practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide-related behavior (SRB) is significantly more prevalent among female (40.8%) than among male (28%) inmates, although suicide risk is higher among the latter. When instrumental behavior (IB) is excluded and only suicidal acts (SA) considered, rates for the two groups are more comparable (11.9% and 16%, respectively). Compared with other female inmates, the SRB group is more suicidal, hostile, and impulsive and more likely to have been previously victimized and to be diagnosed with Axis I and II disorders. Women with IB are not significantly different from those with SA, except that their behavior provides significantly greater tension release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on fieldwork conducted in a medium-security UK prison for men, this article highlights the strengths of ethnographic research methods for exploring prison drug dealing. Having detailed the way that the research project proceeded, it analyses prison drug dealing as an individually meaningful act that takes place within a broader context of cultural codes, social relations and institutional policies. It suggests that, to unpack these issues fully, and chart the terms of the internal economy which heroin dominates, a committed attendance in the prison establishment, and an approach that is broad and exploratory, is of great benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on observations of parole hearings and interviews with participants, this article considers the role of gender in parole decisions. Analysis of these data suggests that male prisoners are expected to accept responsibility for their wrongdoing, while female prisoners may diminish their responsibility by presenting themselves as victims. Therefore, when male bikers present themselves as men who are both responsible for their crimes and for the well-being of their families, they improve their chances of parole. When male sex offenders shirk their responsibility by portraying themselves as victims of female children, sex trade workers, and prosecutors, they reduce their chances of parole. However, when female drug traffickers present themselves as victims of male drug dealers, they increase their chances of parole. These findings build on and contribute to the scholarship on gendered expectations, gendered biographies, and responsibility as a gendered accomplishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The aim of this study was to examine the relative properties of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) and the Treatment Motivation Questionnaire (TMQ) in assessing offenders' motivation to change. Method Thirty-five male prisoners completed the URICA and the TMQ before and after treatment. The URICA scales were scored in three ways: Readiness to Change, the Italian Composite, and Committed Action. The TMQ was scored in four subscales: Internal motivation, External motivation, Help seeking, and Confidence in treatment. The criterion measure was staff-reported treatment engagement. Results Significant positive change post-treatment was evident on Committed Action of the URICA and the Confidence in Treatment scale of the TMQ. The three URICA composite scores correlated significantly and negatively with the criterion measure. Of the TMQ scales, only Confidence in Treatment correlated significantly with the criterion and this in a positive direction. Conclusion Overall, only the Confidence in Treatment scale of the TMQ provided consistent evidence of motivation for therapy and motivation to change. Better measures of motivation need to be developed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Several different factor models have been proposed for the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS), an 80-item self-report measure designed to assess thinking styles believed to maintain a criminal lifestyle. Aims To perform further tests on the factor structure with two new samples, and exploit their divergent characteristics to test for generalizability of the result. Method A series of factor analyses were performed on the PICTS, completed by two groups of offenders: 519 male prisoners and 227 female prisoners, to determine whether a one-factor, two-factor, four-factor or eight-factor model best fitted the data. Results The two-factor model was superior to the one-factor model, and the four-factor model was superior to both. An eight-factor model, the factors being identical to the original eight PICTS thinking style scales (Mollification, Cutoff, Entitlement, Power Orientation, Sentimentality, Superoptimism, Cognitive Indolence, Discontinuity), achieved a significantly better fit than any of the other models in the male sample; the four and eight factor models were not significantly different among the women. Discussion Modest to moderate fit was attained with the two-, four- and eight-factor models when the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) was utilized but not when the goodness-of-fit index (GFI) was applied. It is concluded that the factor structure of the PICTS consists of two primary or major factors (problem avoidance, self-assertion/deception) and two secondary or minor factors (interpersonal hostility, denial of harm). The four-factor model seems likely to be generalizable across divergent offender samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) in predicting reconviction in a sample of male prisoners. Method. The PICTS was administered to 174 incarcerated male offenders at the point of their release from prison. Reconviction data were collected at a 2-year follow-up. Results. Of the eight PICTS scales, only superoptimism differed significantly between reconvicted and non-reconvicted prisoners, even when age and number of previous convictions were controlled for. Reconvicted offenders scored significantly higher on superoptimism, indicating a more criminal attitude. This finding was supported by a sequential logistic regression, where superoptimism contributed significant predictive power to predicting reconviction beyond a model containing age and number of previous convictions. Conclusions. The results are compared with previous research using the PICTS to predict release outcome. The utility of the PICTS as a predictor for release outcome is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

College students (N = 241) completed the MCMI under different instructional sets. An index of differential endorsement of subtle and obvious MCMI items was found to discriminate more strongly than the MCMI Validity Scale between subjects instructed to answer honestly and subjects instructed to fake good, fake bad, or portray specific forms of psychopathology. In addition, differential endorsement of subtle and obvious items on MCMI subscales tended to discriminate more strongly than the MCMI Validity Scale between subjects instructed to answer honestly and subjects instructed to portray the forms of psychopathology assessed by the subscales. The use of the subtle-obvious distinction to assess the validity of the MCMI is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-mutilating behavior (SMB) in prisons has long been recognized as a problem. MMPI data were obtained from 30 mutilating and 30 non-mutilating male inmates. Analyses of MMPI scores revealed significant differences on nine of the clinical and validity scales. Mutilators also had more frequent elevations over 70. Interpretation of scale and subscale configurations indicates that mutilators have more somatic complaints, subjective distress, alienation, immature defenses, and acting-out tendencies than controls. This is consistent with descriptions of SMB in the literature. SMB is conceptualized as a form of aggression in a population of impulsive and alienated individuals in a high-stress environment. The frustration-aggression model is proposed as a model for understanding and further investigating this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hierarchical factor analysis was performed on MAE subtest inter correlations for a sample of 300 male felons to provide a further test of the construct validity of that test. The ability hierarchy thus obtained showed a high degree of congruence with the results of the Wallbrown, Carmin, and Barnett (1988) findings for male felons and the Lee and Wallbrown (in press) for Jackson's (1984) sample. That is, a general (g) factor was loaded positively by all 10 subtests and accounted for 45% of the total subtest variance. A verbal-educational (v:ed) factor was defined by the five verbal subtests and accounted for 21% of their variance. Similarly, a spatial-perceptual (k) factor was defined by performance subtests and accounted for 15% of their variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determines the differences between women's and men's prisons in the U.S. Evidence that many institutions for women do not provide services designed specially for women; Vocational, recreational, and educational programs for women prisoners; Relative deprivations faced by many women prisoners.

This paper examines the strategies developed by female correctional officers to circumvent interactional and organizational barriers to advancement in the traditionally-male work organization of the men's prison. Data for the analysis are drawn from interviews with female officers and other staff in a state department of corrections located in the western United States. In a dramaturgical-like fashion, female officers seeking to advance must moderate—strike a balance—between a series of countervailing negative sex role stereotypes. However, regardless of their success in presenting a ‘balanced’ image at work, female officers experienced stress from their responsibility of accommodating to this predominantly male work environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of expectancy for improvement in relaxation training were examined in a factorial experiment. Relaxation training via audio tape was com- pared with relaxation from a soothing music tape. These two conditions were crossed with three levels of expectancy (high, medium, and low) and the effects measured with three dependent measures of anxiety (A-State, A-Trait, A-Continuum) over three 45-minute training sessions. Results indicated significant anxiety reduction for only the relaxation groups. Although the expectancy manipulation was highly successful as indicated by a manipulation check, the participants' expectancy for improvement was not related to decrements on the anxiety measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study which investigated several forms disturbed behavior among prisoners. The study used the Prison Behaviour Rating Scale to measure three forms of behavior among prisoners: anti-authority, anxious and confused. It asked prison officers to rate adult male prisoners based on their offenses against prison discipline. It also utilized the scale to predict people who offended and those who did not offend. In addition, the study explored the relative value of a range of predictive statistics.

Comparison were made between 92 male prisoners over the age of 50 and 539 younger male prisoners at Utah State Prison, and between groups of first and multiply incarcerated older and younger inmates. The older prisoners committed more crimes against persons, fewer property crimes, were older at first arrest, and were less socially deviant, impulsive, and hostile. The first incarcerated older inmates were found to have more often engaged in crimes of violence, were less involved in a criminal way of life, and were the best adjusted of all the groups. The multiply incarcerated older inmates were found to resemble the younger inmates in terms of a criminal way of life and were not different from their younger counterparts in their adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questionnaires were distributed lo the inmates and staff of four custodial settings: (1) a men's prison; (2) a women's prison; (3) a boarding school for troubled and troublesome juveniles; and (4) a drug rehabilitation halfway house (staff not questioned). The hypothesis of the study was that violence would be inversely related to commitment (defined as involvement with the organization and organizational cohesion), Using attitudinal measures of commitment and a self-report, Guttman scale of violence, the results of the study indicated the following: (1) violence was significantly inversely related to both organizational involvement and cohesion among some custodial inmates and (2) violence was slightly positively correlated with involvement and cohesion among some custodial staff. The relationship persisted among inmates even with the introduction of age and education as control variables. The use of these controls only slightly modified the relationship among custodial staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the Prison Fantasy Questionnaire (PFQ). The author states that the PFQ was developed to measure self-reported conscious fantasies in male prisoners. It is based on the day dreaming inventories developed by researchers J.L. Singer and N.N. Wagman and on items especially prepared to cover prison experiences. In the study the PFQ concept has been tested with a total of 109 prisoners in a medium security prison in Michigan. Preliminary findings indicate that this instrument can be used meaningfully with a prison population and further questions for research are indicated in the study.

This article focuses on the relationship between Overcontrolled-Hostility scale and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) 4-3 high-point pair. The Overcontrolled-Hostility scale was developed from the MMPI item pool in an attempt to identify assaultive individuals who exert rigid and tenuous control over their aggressive impulses. When administered within the context of the entire MMPI, the Overcontrolled-Hostility scale has been shown to identify accurately extremely assaultive male prisoners and to discriminate reliably between overcontrolled and under-controlled assaultive psychiatric patients.

This article focuses on efficacy of the Mini-Mult Validity Scales with prisoners. This 71-item short-form provides conversion tables for deriving T-scores for three validity scales and eight clinical scales. The Mini-Mult has generated an appreciable amount of research related to its utility with a variety of clinical populations, which have included adult male prisoners, emotionally disturbed adolescents, parents of emotionally disturbed children, college undergraduates, community mental health clients and neurological patients. An essential feature of any screening or short-form instrument is its ability to detect invalid protocols.

The article presents a study which assesses variables most associated with success on parole at the Adult Furlough Center (AFC) operated by the state of Hawaii. AFC aimed to ease the process of transition from institutional dependency to economic and personal reintegration with the intent to lessen parole failure. Fifty-three male residents of AFC during its first year of operation were studied. Intercorrelations were grouped into five factors including juvenile history, type of last commitment offense, employment and training and marital status. Results revealed that the success on parole was related to less serious juvenile records, employment and longer stays at the Adult Furlough Center.

The article presents information on preparing a self-interview inventory for prisoners. This inventory containing 360 personal history statements typewritten on cards to be sorted into true, false and cannot-say categories was given to a group of male prisoners. The statements were designed to cover the histories comprehensively for information of value in social, psychiatric, psychological and vocational analyses. This instrument has saved appreciable time in individual interviewing on the part of the professional personnel, primarily by indicating areas for special exploration.

This article focuses on performance of male prisoners on the Marlowe-Crowne social desirability scale (M-C SDS). This study investigated the relation between age, intelligence, social class, 11 MMPI scales and the performance on the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirablity Scale of 80 white male prisoners. Age and social class were not correlated, and intelligence was negatively correlated, with M-C SDS scores. The prisoner group had a significantly higher mean SD score than did the normative group, but since I.Q. was negatively related to SD, and the normative group was probably of brighter intelligence, this difference may be artifactual.