Adjustment to correctional confinement: Investigating the correlates of violence and disorder in a jail environment

This study examines the individual- and institutional-level variables that are correlated with violence and disorder within a jail facility. Previous research indicates that deviant behavior is one of the main challenges that negatively impacts the safe and effective management of correctional facilities. While many studies have been conducted on prison populations, few studies have focused upon jail populations. Using official institutional data, this study explores the factors associated with general infractions and violent misconduct among a stratified random sample of inmates (n=447) incarcerated during a one year period in a large county jail facility. The logistic regression and conjunctive analyses revealed that several variables were significantly correlated with institutional violence and disorder. These variables had both individual and conjunctive or combined effects on the nature of institutional misconduct. The results of this study are then discussed in terms of their implications for future research and practical policy for controlling disorder within correctional institutions