Previous Prison Experience and Evaluation of the Quality of Prison Life
Keywords:
prison, convicts, prison social climate, quality of prison life, recidivism
Abstract
In the paper, the authors analyse the relationship between the prison social climate and recidivism, that is, they connect the data obtained by measuring the quality of prison life (MQPL) with the dimension of previous prison experience. The paper examines the hypothesis that on some/certain aspects there will be differences in the perception of the prison social climate depending on whether the respondents are in prison for the first time, or they have already had prison experience. The main goal of the paper is to examine whether there are differences between persons who have previously served a prison sentence and those who have not, with regards to the perception of the quality of prison life. The research was carried out in the course of 2022, on a sample of 578 convicted adults, who are serving a prison sentence in Sremska Mitrovica Prison, Požarevac - Zabela Prison, Niš Prison, Belgrade Prison and Požarevac Prison for Women. Descriptive statistics and t-test were used in the paper. The most important results show that there are significant differences regarding the assessment of the quality of prison life in the following categories: Harmony Dimensions, Professionalism Dimensions and Wellbeing and Development Dimensions, and that each of those three categories is statistically significantly better rated by those who are not penological returnees. When it comes to the general assessment of the quality of prison life, the results showed that there are no significant differences between persons who have previously served a prison sentence and those who have not.
References
Auty, K. M., & Liebling, A. (2019). Exploring the Relationship between Prison Social Climate and Reoffending. Justice Quarterly, 37(2), 358–381. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2018.1538421
Banović, J. (2022) Life Imprisonment in Serbia: Current Legislation, Theoretical Issues, and International Legal Standards. NBP. Nauka, bezbednost, policija, 27(3), 17-29. https://doi.org/10.5937/nabepo27-40907
Beazley, P. & Gudjonsson, G. (2011). Motivating inpatients to engage with treatment: The role of depression and ward atmosphere. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 65(2), 95–100. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/08039488.2010.502244
Boone M., Althoff M., & Koenraadt F. (2016). Het leefklimaat in justitiële inrichtingen (Prison climate in judicial instituations). Boom Juridisch.
Bosma, A. Q., van Ginneken, E., Palmen, H., Pasma, A. J., Beijersbergen, K. A. & Nieuwbeerta, P. (2020) A new instrument to measure prison climate: The psychometric quality of the Prison Climate Questionnaire. The Prison Journal, 100(3), 355‒380. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885520916819
Bressington, D., Stewart, B., Beer, D. & MacInnes, D. (2011). Levels of service user satisfaction in secure settings- A survey of the association between perceived social climate, perceived therapeutic relationship and satisfaction with forensic services. International. Journal of Nursing Studies, 48(11), 1349–1356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2011.05.011
Clemmer, D. (1958). The Prison Community. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Coyle, A. (2008). The treatment of prisoners: International Standards and Case Law. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 13, 219-230.
Crewe, B., Liebling, A., & Hulley, S. (2011) Staff culture, use of authority and prisoner quality of life in public and private sector prisons. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 44, 94-115. doi:10.1177/0004865810392681
Day, A., Casey, S., Vess, J., & Huisy, G. (2011). Assessing the social climate of Australian prisons. Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 427. Australian Institute of Criminology.
Đorđević, Đ., Bodrožić, I. (2020) A New Legal Solutions on Recidivism in Serbian Criminal Legislation. NBP. Nauka, bezbednost, policija, 25(3), 71-85. https://doi.org/10.5937/nabepo25-30459
Gover A. R., MacKenzie D. L., & Armstrong G. S. (2000). Importation and deprivation explanations of juveniles’ adjustment to correctional facilities. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 44(4), 450–466.
Hall, P. & Chong, M. D. (2018). A prison's social climate, and its impact on reintegration and recidivism. James Cook University Law Review, 24, pp. 231–242.
Harding, R. (2014). Rehabilitation and prison social climate: Do ‘What Works’ rehabilitation programs work better in prisons that have a positive social climate?. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 47(2), 163–175.
Ignjatović, Đ. (2013). Normativno uređenje izvršenja vanzavodskih krivičnih sankcija u Srbiji. Crimen, 4(2), 144-175.
Ilijić, Lj. (2012). Osuđeni i deprivacije. U: Kron, L. (ur.) Delikti, kazna i mogućnosti socijalne profilakse (str. 351-358). Institut za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja.
Ilijić, Lj. (2014). Osuđeni i deprivacije-uticaj karakteristika ličnosti na intenzitet doživljavanja zatvorskih deprivacija. Institut za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja.
Ilijić, Lj. (2016). Uticaj obrazovanja i profesionalnog osposobljavanja na redukciju rizika recidivizma kod osuđenih lica. [PhD thesis, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation].
Ilijić, Lj. (2021). Zatvorska socijalna klima: pojam, faktori i značaj zatvorske socijalne klime. Zbornik Instituta za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja, 15(2-3), 59‒76. doi:10.47152/ziksi20213024
Ilijić, Lj., Milićević, M., & Pavićević, O. (2020). Approaches and Methods in the Quality of Prison Life Assessing-measuring and moral climate in prison. In Nedović, G., & Eminović, F. (Eds.), Approaches and Models in Special Education and Rehabilitation: Thematic Collection of International Importance (pp. 85–98). University of Belgrade, Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation.
Ilijić, Lj., Milićević, M., & Pavićević, O. (2022). Osvrt na početke proučavanje zatvorske socijalne klime i razvoj instrumenata za procenu. Zbornik Instituta za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja, 41(1), 75-87, doi: 10.47152/ziksi2022015.
Jovanić, G. (2007). Negativne posledice izvršenja kazne zatvora [Master thesis, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation].
Liebling, A. (2011). Moral performance, inhuman and degrading treatment and prisonpain. Punishment & Society, 13(5), 530–550. https://doi.org/10.1177/1462474511422159
Liebling, A., & Arnold, H. (2004). Prisons and their Moral Performance: A study of Values, Quality, and Prison Life. Oxford University Press.
Liebling, A., Hulley, S., & Crewe, B. (2012). Conceptualising and measuring the quality of prison life. In D. Gadd, S. Karstedt, & S. F. Messner (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of criminological research methods (pp. 358‒372). SAGE.
Long, C. G., Anagnostakis, K., Fox, E., Silaule, P., Somers, J., West, R. & Webster, A. (2011). Social climate along the pathway of care in women’s secure mental health service: Variation with level of security, patient motivation, therapeutic alliance and level of disturbance. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 21(3), 202–214. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cbm.791
Lösel, F. (1995). Increasing consensus in the evaluation of offender rehabilitation? Lessons from recent research syntheses. Psychology, Crime & Law, 2(1), 19–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10683169508409762
Međedović, J., Drndarević, N., & Milićević, M. (2023b). Integrating standard and Network psychometrics to assess the quality of prison life in Serbia. Journal of Criminology [accepted].
Međedović, J., Ilijić, Lj., & Drndarević, N. (2023a). Unfavorable prison social climate links Dark Tetrad traits with institutional misconduct [Unpublished manuscript].
Stevanović, I., Međedović, J., Petrović, B. & Vujičić, N. (2018). Ekspertsko istraživanje i analiza povrata u Republici Srbiji. Institut za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja.
Milićević, M., Ilijić, L., Vujičić, N., Međedović, J., Pavićević, O., & Drndarević, N. (2023a) PrisonLIFE project—Adaptation, translation equivalence and content validity of the MQPL survey in Serbian (Version 1) [dataset]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.8253602
Milićević, M., Ilijić, Lj., Vujičić, N. (2023b) Cross-cultural adaptation and content validity of the Measuring the Quality of Prison Life survey in Serbia [Unpublished manuscript].
Moos, R. H. (1997). Evaluating treatment environments: The quality of psychiatric and substance abuse programs. NJ: Transaction Publishers. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351291804
Ortmann, R. (2000). The effectiveness of social therapy in prison – A randomized experiment. Crime and Delinquency, 46(2), 214–232.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0011128700046002005
Radovanović, D. (1992). Čovek i zatvor-studija integrisanosti u zatvorenički društveni sistem. Prometej i Institut za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja.
Ross, M. V., Diamond, P., Liebling, A., & Saylor, W. (2008). Measurement of prison social climate: A comparison of an inmate measure in England and the US. Punishment & Society, 10(4), 447–474. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1462474508095320
Schalast, N., Redies, M., Collins, M., Stacey, J. & Howells, K. (2008) EssenCES, a short questionnaire for assessing the social climate of forensic psychiatric wards. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 18(1), 49–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbm.677
Schubert, C. A., Mulvey, E. P., Loughran, T. A., & Loyosa, S. H. (2012). Perceptions of institutional experience and community outcomes for serious adolescent offenders. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 39(1), 71–93. https://doi.org/10.1177/009385481142671
Sykes, G. (1958). The Society of Captives: A study of a Maximum Security Prisons. Princton University Press.
Tonkin, M. (2015). A Review of Questionnaire Measures for Assessing the Social Climate in Prisons and Forensic Psychiatric Hospitals. International Journal of Offender therapy and Comparative Criminology, 60(12), 1376–1405. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X15578834
van der Helm, P., Beunk, L., Stams, G. J., & van der Laan, P. (2014). The relationship between detention length, living group climate, coping and treatment motivation among juvenile delinquents in a youth correctional facility. The Prison Journal, 94(2), 260–275.
van Ginneken, E. F. J. C., & Palmen, H. (2022). Is There a Relationship Between Prison Conditions and Recidivism?. Justice Quarterly, doi: 10.1080/07418825.2022.2040576.
van Ginneken, E., & Nieuwbeerta, P. (2020). Climate consensus: A multilevel study testing assumptions about prison climate. Journal of Criminal Justice, vol. 69(C) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2020.101693.
Vrućinić, Ž. S. (2019) The Difference in Criminal Thinking Styles and the Depth of Involvement in Criminal Lifestyles With Regard to the Age, Recidivism and Violence of a Criminal Offence. NBP. Nauka, bezbednost, policija, 24(2), 79-95. https://doi.org/10.5937/nabepo24-20558.
Vujičič, N. (2023). Izvršenje kazne zatvora i odustajanje od kriminalnog ponašanja [PhD thesis, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law].
Wright, K. (1985) Developing the Prison Environment Inventory. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 22(3), 257–277. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F00224278850220 03005.
Banović, J. (2022) Life Imprisonment in Serbia: Current Legislation, Theoretical Issues, and International Legal Standards. NBP. Nauka, bezbednost, policija, 27(3), 17-29. https://doi.org/10.5937/nabepo27-40907
Beazley, P. & Gudjonsson, G. (2011). Motivating inpatients to engage with treatment: The role of depression and ward atmosphere. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 65(2), 95–100. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/08039488.2010.502244
Boone M., Althoff M., & Koenraadt F. (2016). Het leefklimaat in justitiële inrichtingen (Prison climate in judicial instituations). Boom Juridisch.
Bosma, A. Q., van Ginneken, E., Palmen, H., Pasma, A. J., Beijersbergen, K. A. & Nieuwbeerta, P. (2020) A new instrument to measure prison climate: The psychometric quality of the Prison Climate Questionnaire. The Prison Journal, 100(3), 355‒380. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885520916819
Bressington, D., Stewart, B., Beer, D. & MacInnes, D. (2011). Levels of service user satisfaction in secure settings- A survey of the association between perceived social climate, perceived therapeutic relationship and satisfaction with forensic services. International. Journal of Nursing Studies, 48(11), 1349–1356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2011.05.011
Clemmer, D. (1958). The Prison Community. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Coyle, A. (2008). The treatment of prisoners: International Standards and Case Law. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 13, 219-230.
Crewe, B., Liebling, A., & Hulley, S. (2011) Staff culture, use of authority and prisoner quality of life in public and private sector prisons. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 44, 94-115. doi:10.1177/0004865810392681
Day, A., Casey, S., Vess, J., & Huisy, G. (2011). Assessing the social climate of Australian prisons. Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 427. Australian Institute of Criminology.
Đorđević, Đ., Bodrožić, I. (2020) A New Legal Solutions on Recidivism in Serbian Criminal Legislation. NBP. Nauka, bezbednost, policija, 25(3), 71-85. https://doi.org/10.5937/nabepo25-30459
Gover A. R., MacKenzie D. L., & Armstrong G. S. (2000). Importation and deprivation explanations of juveniles’ adjustment to correctional facilities. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 44(4), 450–466.
Hall, P. & Chong, M. D. (2018). A prison's social climate, and its impact on reintegration and recidivism. James Cook University Law Review, 24, pp. 231–242.
Harding, R. (2014). Rehabilitation and prison social climate: Do ‘What Works’ rehabilitation programs work better in prisons that have a positive social climate?. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 47(2), 163–175.
Ignjatović, Đ. (2013). Normativno uređenje izvršenja vanzavodskih krivičnih sankcija u Srbiji. Crimen, 4(2), 144-175.
Ilijić, Lj. (2012). Osuđeni i deprivacije. U: Kron, L. (ur.) Delikti, kazna i mogućnosti socijalne profilakse (str. 351-358). Institut za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja.
Ilijić, Lj. (2014). Osuđeni i deprivacije-uticaj karakteristika ličnosti na intenzitet doživljavanja zatvorskih deprivacija. Institut za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja.
Ilijić, Lj. (2016). Uticaj obrazovanja i profesionalnog osposobljavanja na redukciju rizika recidivizma kod osuđenih lica. [PhD thesis, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation].
Ilijić, Lj. (2021). Zatvorska socijalna klima: pojam, faktori i značaj zatvorske socijalne klime. Zbornik Instituta za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja, 15(2-3), 59‒76. doi:10.47152/ziksi20213024
Ilijić, Lj., Milićević, M., & Pavićević, O. (2020). Approaches and Methods in the Quality of Prison Life Assessing-measuring and moral climate in prison. In Nedović, G., & Eminović, F. (Eds.), Approaches and Models in Special Education and Rehabilitation: Thematic Collection of International Importance (pp. 85–98). University of Belgrade, Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation.
Ilijić, Lj., Milićević, M., & Pavićević, O. (2022). Osvrt na početke proučavanje zatvorske socijalne klime i razvoj instrumenata za procenu. Zbornik Instituta za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja, 41(1), 75-87, doi: 10.47152/ziksi2022015.
Jovanić, G. (2007). Negativne posledice izvršenja kazne zatvora [Master thesis, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation].
Liebling, A. (2011). Moral performance, inhuman and degrading treatment and prisonpain. Punishment & Society, 13(5), 530–550. https://doi.org/10.1177/1462474511422159
Liebling, A., & Arnold, H. (2004). Prisons and their Moral Performance: A study of Values, Quality, and Prison Life. Oxford University Press.
Liebling, A., Hulley, S., & Crewe, B. (2012). Conceptualising and measuring the quality of prison life. In D. Gadd, S. Karstedt, & S. F. Messner (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of criminological research methods (pp. 358‒372). SAGE.
Long, C. G., Anagnostakis, K., Fox, E., Silaule, P., Somers, J., West, R. & Webster, A. (2011). Social climate along the pathway of care in women’s secure mental health service: Variation with level of security, patient motivation, therapeutic alliance and level of disturbance. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 21(3), 202–214. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cbm.791
Lösel, F. (1995). Increasing consensus in the evaluation of offender rehabilitation? Lessons from recent research syntheses. Psychology, Crime & Law, 2(1), 19–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10683169508409762
Međedović, J., Drndarević, N., & Milićević, M. (2023b). Integrating standard and Network psychometrics to assess the quality of prison life in Serbia. Journal of Criminology [accepted].
Međedović, J., Ilijić, Lj., & Drndarević, N. (2023a). Unfavorable prison social climate links Dark Tetrad traits with institutional misconduct [Unpublished manuscript].
Stevanović, I., Međedović, J., Petrović, B. & Vujičić, N. (2018). Ekspertsko istraživanje i analiza povrata u Republici Srbiji. Institut za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja.
Milićević, M., Ilijić, L., Vujičić, N., Međedović, J., Pavićević, O., & Drndarević, N. (2023a) PrisonLIFE project—Adaptation, translation equivalence and content validity of the MQPL survey in Serbian (Version 1) [dataset]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.8253602
Milićević, M., Ilijić, Lj., Vujičić, N. (2023b) Cross-cultural adaptation and content validity of the Measuring the Quality of Prison Life survey in Serbia [Unpublished manuscript].
Moos, R. H. (1997). Evaluating treatment environments: The quality of psychiatric and substance abuse programs. NJ: Transaction Publishers. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351291804
Ortmann, R. (2000). The effectiveness of social therapy in prison – A randomized experiment. Crime and Delinquency, 46(2), 214–232.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0011128700046002005
Radovanović, D. (1992). Čovek i zatvor-studija integrisanosti u zatvorenički društveni sistem. Prometej i Institut za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja.
Ross, M. V., Diamond, P., Liebling, A., & Saylor, W. (2008). Measurement of prison social climate: A comparison of an inmate measure in England and the US. Punishment & Society, 10(4), 447–474. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1462474508095320
Schalast, N., Redies, M., Collins, M., Stacey, J. & Howells, K. (2008) EssenCES, a short questionnaire for assessing the social climate of forensic psychiatric wards. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 18(1), 49–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbm.677
Schubert, C. A., Mulvey, E. P., Loughran, T. A., & Loyosa, S. H. (2012). Perceptions of institutional experience and community outcomes for serious adolescent offenders. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 39(1), 71–93. https://doi.org/10.1177/009385481142671
Sykes, G. (1958). The Society of Captives: A study of a Maximum Security Prisons. Princton University Press.
Tonkin, M. (2015). A Review of Questionnaire Measures for Assessing the Social Climate in Prisons and Forensic Psychiatric Hospitals. International Journal of Offender therapy and Comparative Criminology, 60(12), 1376–1405. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X15578834
van der Helm, P., Beunk, L., Stams, G. J., & van der Laan, P. (2014). The relationship between detention length, living group climate, coping and treatment motivation among juvenile delinquents in a youth correctional facility. The Prison Journal, 94(2), 260–275.
van Ginneken, E. F. J. C., & Palmen, H. (2022). Is There a Relationship Between Prison Conditions and Recidivism?. Justice Quarterly, doi: 10.1080/07418825.2022.2040576.
van Ginneken, E., & Nieuwbeerta, P. (2020). Climate consensus: A multilevel study testing assumptions about prison climate. Journal of Criminal Justice, vol. 69(C) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2020.101693.
Vrućinić, Ž. S. (2019) The Difference in Criminal Thinking Styles and the Depth of Involvement in Criminal Lifestyles With Regard to the Age, Recidivism and Violence of a Criminal Offence. NBP. Nauka, bezbednost, policija, 24(2), 79-95. https://doi.org/10.5937/nabepo24-20558.
Vujičič, N. (2023). Izvršenje kazne zatvora i odustajanje od kriminalnog ponašanja [PhD thesis, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law].
Wright, K. (1985) Developing the Prison Environment Inventory. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 22(3), 257–277. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F00224278850220 03005.
