Assessing the relationship between police use of force and inmate offending (rule violations)

We assess the effects of exposure to police use of force on inmates’ odds of offending in prison using survey data collected from a national sample of inmates. We found, net of relevant controls, prisoners subjected to police violence were more likely to engage in assaultive and other rule violating...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Klahm, Charles F. (Author)
Contributors: Steiner, Benjamin (Other) ; Meade, Benjamin (Other) ; Meade, Benjamin 1981-
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2017
In: Crime & delinquency
Year: 2017, Volume: 63, Issue: 3, Pages: 267-295
Online Access: Volltext (Resolving-System)
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Keywords:
Exposure to violence
Gewalt gegen Gefangene
Inmate offending
Police use of force
Polizeigewalt
Prisons
Procedural justice
Description
Summary:We assess the effects of exposure to police use of force on inmates’ odds of offending in prison using survey data collected from a national sample of inmates. We found, net of relevant controls, prisoners subjected to police violence were more likely to engage in assaultive and other rule violating behavior, especially those who did not resist police authority. Consistent with the cycle of violence hypothesis, our findings suggest violence perpetrated by legal authorities produces similar effects to exposure to violence in general. Moreover, the consequences of police use of force are especially problematic when the recipient fails to perceive his or her treatment was fair, which supports the theoretical perspective on procedural fairness and legitimacy. Policy implications are discussed.
ISSN:1552-387X
DOI:10.1177/0011128714558291