Award Date

Spring 2010

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice

Department

Criminal Justice

Advisor 1

Terance Miethe, Committee Chair

First Committee Member

Hong Lu

Second Committee Member

Deborah Shaffer

Graduate Faculty Representative

Andrew Spivak

Number of Pages

58

Abstract

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.

Keywords

Classification; Corrections; Disorder; Inmates; Jail management; Jail populations; Labeling theory; Misconduct; Social bond theory; Violence

Disciplines

Criminology | Criminology and Criminal Justice | Law Enforcement and Corrections | Sociology

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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