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Title Impact of Incarceration Strain on Prison Misconduct and Recidivism Risk among Juvenile Offenders: Role of General Strain Theory

Author(s) Aqsa Shahid

Abstract The present cross-sectional, correlational research design investigated the impact of incarceration strain on prison misconduct and risk of recidivism along with the role of negative emotions, coping strategies, peer pressure, and misanthropic beliefs among juvenile offenders. The study comprised two phases; phase I dealt with the Urdu translation and try out (N = 50) of the scales. Prison Problems Scale (Zamble & Porporino, 1988), The Prison Rules (Jail Manual) (U/S 59 of Prisons Act, 1894), TCU Criminal Thinking Scale (Rahim, 2017), Multidimensional Emotion Questionnaire (Klonsky et al., 2019), Measure of Adolescent Coping Strategy (Sveinbjornsdottir & Thorsteinsson, 2014), Peer Pressure and Assessment Scale (Mehmood et al., 2013), and The Misanthropy Scale (Wuensch et al., 2002) were used in the current study. Phase II was aimed to examine the relationship between study variables based on Agnew's General Strain Theory (GST), while GST did not specifically address the effects of incarceration strain on prison misconduct and recidivism risk, this research applied the core principles of the theory to understand strain in the context of incarceration and its potential implications for institutional behavior. For this purpose, a sample of 244 juvenile offenders, age ranged 10 to 17 years were recruited by purposive sampling technique from different jails of Punjab, Pakistan. Result revealed that incarceration strain had significant positive correlation with prison misconduct, recidivism risk, and all negative emotions. Moreover, the mediation analysis revealed that all negative emotions were significant mediators of prison misconduct and recidivism risk, except for a few emotions that did not mediate recidivism risk. To explore the role of conditioning factors, moderated mediation analysis was conducted which revealed that adaptive along with maladaptive coping, constructive as well as destructive peer pressure, and misanthropic beliefs intensified the relationship between incarceration strain, prison misconduct and recidivism risk through negative emotions. However, certain negative emotions were found to have non-significant conditional indirect effects. The unexpected findings, where adaptive coping and constructive peer pressure exacerbated rather than mitigated the effects of incarceration strain on prison misconduct and recidivism risk, can be attributed to both the shortcomings of prison environment and the critical stage of juveniles’ emotional and social development. The stressful prison environment, coupled with limited access to support, may hinder their ability to cope effectively. Additionally, the lack of emotional regulation skills could result in adaptive coping mechanisms becoming maladaptive, especially when those coping mechanisms do not align with the correctional system’s punitive structure. Consequently, these individuals may experience an intensification of negative emotions and engage in more disruptive behaviors. Furthermore, while constructive peer pressure typically fosters positive behaviors, could take a different form in the context of juvenile inmates who are exposed to negative, antisocial influences. Thus, in prison context, it may instead reinforce delinquent behavior. In conclusion, the absence of comprehensive support system in Punjab Prisons hampers juveniles' ability to cope with incarceration stress, intensifying negative emotions and maladaptive behaviors, underscoring the need for rehabilitation programs to effectively channel coping strategies within this deviant population.

Type Thesis/Dissertation PhD

Faculty Social Sciences

Department Psychology

Language English

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