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Female Prisoners (female + prisoner)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Psychology	80%

Selected Abstracts

Low internalised restraint predicts criminal recidivism in young female prisoners

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 5 2009
Ellen Kjelsberg
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. [source]

Characteristics of male and female prisoners involved in bullying behavior

AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, Issue 3 2007
Jane L. Ireland
This study explores bullying behavior in a larger and more representative sample than previous prison-based research. It has two core aims, first to explore the nature of bullying in relation to indirect and direct aggression and, second, to explore the predictors of bully-category membership with particular reference to behavioral characteristics. Participants were adult men (n=728) and women (n=525) prisoners. All completed a behavioral measure of behavior indicative of bullying (Direct and Indirect Prisoner behavior Checklist, DIPC) that also explored prison-based behavior such as negative acts towards staff or prison rules, positive acts and drug-related behavior. Indirect aggression was, as predicted, reported more frequently than direct aggression, although this only held for perpetration. Bully-victims, as predicted, showed more negative behavior. Pure bullies and pure victims also showed more negative behavior than the other categories. The findings are discussed in relation to the environment in which bullying behavior is being assessed and with attention to the possible motivations underlying both bullying and negative behavior. Directions for future research are suggested. Aggr. Behav. 33:1,10, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

The relationship between social problem-solving and bullying behaviour among male and female adult prisoners

AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, Issue 4 2001
*Article first published online: 18 JUL 200, Jane L. Ireland
Abstract The association between social problem solving and bullying behaviour among adult male and female prisoners is presented. A total of 210 male and 196 female prisoners were categorised into four groups: pure bullies, pure victims, bully/victims, and those not involved in bullying or victimisation. Prisoners completed a questionnaire that presented them with different bullying scenarios and were asked to suggest ways of dealing with each. Female bully/victims produced significantly more solutions in response to theft-related bullying than male bully/victims. There were no further significant group or gender differences in the number of solutions generated. The bully group favoured aggressive responses for all scenarios. Males reported more aggressive responses than females. The results are discussed with reference to the environment in which the social problem solving is taking place and highlights the importance of distinguishing between the different groups involved in bullying. Aggr. Behav. 27:297,312, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Does Overcrowding in Prisons Exacerbate the Risk of Suicide among Women Prisoners?

THE HOWARD JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, Issue 2 2010
LAUREN SHARKEY
Abstract: This article reveals the main contributory factors to suicide among female prisoners and shows that overcrowding is a factor exacerbating the risk of suicide. In-depth interviews were conducted with ten female prisoners in one closed prison in 2007. They focused on incidents of self-harm and attempted suicide revealing the negative impact of the prison experience and, in particular, the effect of overcrowding. There are few studies looking at the link between overcrowding and suicide. This study highlights the need to explore this link especially at a time when overcrowding and suicide in prisons are high. [source]