Age, criminal thinking, and disciplinary infractions in federal prison inmates: testing a mediation hypothesis
The intent of this study was to determine whether two features of antisocial thought process, proactive and reactive criminal thinking, mediate the age-disciplinary infractions relationship in prison inmates. Participants were 2,487 male inmates admitted to a medium security federal prison sometime...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Criminal justice studies
Year: 2025, Volume: 38, Issue: 3, Pages: 361-375 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Keywords: |
| Summary: | The intent of this study was to determine whether two features of antisocial thought process, proactive and reactive criminal thinking, mediate the age-disciplinary infractions relationship in prison inmates. Participants were 2,487 male inmates admitted to a medium security federal prison sometime between 2003 and 2010. Analyzing both total and aggressive disciplinary infraction data, it was discovered that whereas the proactive (planned, calculated, amoral) features of criminal thought process mediated the age-infractions relationship, the reactive (impulsive, irresponsible, emotional) features did not. Results from this study suggest that one way advancing age may contribute to declining disciplinary infractions in prison is that older inmates are less likely than younger inmates to employ the planned, calculated, and amoral aspects of antisocial cognition. Whether this stems from age-related decrements in antisocial cognition awaits further study using changes in criminal thinking over time. |
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| ISSN: | 1478-6028 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/1478601X.2025.2531759 |
