Understanding Offender Needs Over Forms of Isolation Using a Repeated Measures Design

Authors

Michael F. Campagna, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Melissa A. Kowalski, The College at Brockport
Laurie A. Drapela, Washington State University
Mary K. Stohr, Washington State University
Elizabeth Thompson Tollefsbol, Northern Idaho College
Youngki Woo, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Xiaohan Mei, University of California, Los Angeles
Zachary K. Hamilton, Washington State University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-24-2019

Abstract

A number of studies find that solitary confinement is associated with mental impairment. Yet, confinement dosage and which individual and exogenous variables lead to mental impairment have received less attention. This study of 2 years of data on disciplinary segregation male inmates employs a repeated measures design to examine how isolation affects mental health and psychological needs. The findings indicate that the duration of disciplinary segregation and incarceration, incidence of homelessness, and other individual-level factors had deleterious effects on mental health and psychological needs. Vocational programming and a high school education were found to be protective factors for psychological needs.

Comments

© 2019, SAGE Publications. Original published version available at https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885519877356.

Recommended Citation

Campagna, Michael F., et al. “Understanding Offender Needs Over Forms of Isolation Using a Repeated Measures Design.” The Prison Journal, vol. 99, no. 6, Dec. 2019, pp. 639–661, doi:10.1177/0032885519877356.

First Page

639

Last Page

661

Publication Title

Prison Journal

DOI

10.1177/0032885519877356