Child Maltreatment Histories Among Female Inmate Reporting Inmate on Inmate Sexual Victimization in Prison: The Mediating Role of Emotion Dysregulation

Despite data indicating that child maltreatment (CM) in various forms is associated with adult sexual victimization among community women, few studies have explicitly explored how types of CM might relate to prison sexual victimization. Because little is known about how CM might give rise to prison sexual victimization, the present study also examined emotion dysregulation emanating from early abuse experiences as a potential mediator in the link between early CM and inmate-on-inmate prison sexual victimization. Approximately 168 incarcerated women completed self-report inventories assessing various types of childhood maltreatment, emotion dysregulation, and coerced or forced sexual experiences in prison. Nearly 77% of the sample endorsed experiencing at least one form of CM, with 64% of inmates reporting that they experienced two or more forms of CM. Approximately 9% of inmates reported sexual coercion and 22% reported a forced sexual experience in prison. Each form of CM was associated with prison sexual coercion; however, fewer associations emerged between CM and forced prison sexual experiences. Emotion dysregulation was found to mediate links between CM, particularly co-occurring CM, and sexual coercion in prison, but it was unrelated to forced prison sexual experiences. Implications are discussed

Child Maltreatment Histories Among Female Inmate Reporting Inmate on Inmate Sexual Victimization in Prison: The Mediating Role of Emotion Dysregulation

Despite data indicating that child maltreatment (CM) in various forms is associated with adult sexual victimization among community women, few studies have explicitly explored how types of CM might relate to prison sexual victimization. Because little is known about how CM might give rise to prison sexual victimization, the present study also examined emotion dysregulation emanating from early abuse experiences as a potential mediator in the link between early CM and inmate-on-inmate prison sexual victimization. Approximately 168 incarcerated women completed self-report inventories assessing various types of childhood maltreatment, emotion dysregulation, and coerced or forced sexual experiences in prison. Nearly 77% of the sample endorsed experiencing at least one form of CM, with 64% of inmates reporting that they experienced two or more forms of CM. Approximately 9% of inmates reported sexual coercion and 22% reported a forced sexual experience in prison. Each form of CM was associated with prison sexual coercion; however, fewer associations emerged between CM and forced prison sexual experiences. Emotion dysregulation was found to mediate links between CM, particularly co-occurring CM, and sexual coercion in prison, but it was unrelated to forced prison sexual experiences. Implications are discussed

Impact Evaluation of the Louisville-Shively-Jefferson County Traffic Alcohol Programs

This report is an evaluation of alcohol enforcement programs conducted by the Louisville, Jefferson County, and Shively police agencies in the Louisville metropolitan area. The following four types of data were collected in order to evaluate the traffic alcohol programs; accident data, arrest and adjudication data, cost-effectiveness, and public opinion data. Results from the before-and-after comparisons and time-series analysis show alcohol-related accidents decreased significantly during the study period, There was a 34.4 percent reduction in alcohol-related accidents during hours of special enforcement and a 30.4 percent reduction during all hours of the day. Time-series analysis of accident data showed a 27.1 percent decrease during hours of increased enforcement and a 26.1 percent decrease during all hours. Results from time-series analysis also indicated that the enforcement programs increased the DUI arrest rate by at least 50 percent in each of the jurisdictions studied. Inclusion of the Slammer Law as a control variable revealed the proportion of convictions among DUI arrests increased by nearly 449 percent. Based on costs associated with the program (enforcement, jail costs, and court costs) and benefits (reduced accident costs and DUI fines); the benefit-cost ratio was 2.81 to 5.67 depending upon the basis for accident costs. The public opinion survey showed strong support for the traffic alcohol programs and 87 percent of the respondents indicated that increased enforcement was an effective means of reducing drinking and driving. In addition, 82 percent of those responding indicated the programs had reduced their chances of an accident

The Risks and Needs of the Returning Prisoner Population

There is a growing interest in the threat posed by the increase in the number of prisoners released from prison each year. Some have argued that unless new services and programs are funded, the increasing waves of released prisoners will pose a major threat to public safety in general. This paper reexamines these and other issues and finds that a significant portion of released prisoners pose little if any threat to public safety and that the current parole supervision system often serves to increase rather than reduce recidivism. While released prisoners have significant social, economic, residential, and family needs, they are not sufficient to restrict their release from prison. Copyright Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2004..

The Value Of Religion In Prison: An Inmate Perspective

In recent years, religious programming for inmates is being applauded by some as the latest answer to recidivism. Policy makers and correctional officials alike are among the supporters of these programs that go well beyond conventional prison ministry. The emphasis in promoting the expansion of religion-based programs indeed lies in the claim that faith in a higher power prevents relapse into criminal activity better than secular strategies. Whether this claim can be consistently validated remains unclear. Moreover, the sustained focus on religion\u27s utility in preventing future criminal conduct diminishes religion\u27s immediate value to the inmate during the term of incarceration. With this latter function in mind, this article reports findings from qualitative inquiries conducted in several prisons nationwide. Designed to reveal the meaning of religion to inmates, the study calls attention to the role of religion in preventing devaluation and fostering survival. © 2000, Sage Publications, Inc. All rights reserved