Institutional Misconduct Among Carceral Populations: Disparities in Parolee Populations

Institutional misconduct jeopardizes the safety and security of incarcerated persons and correctional staff. One population that has received little scholarly attention in the misconduct literature is that of the parolee population. Using a nationally representative sample of incarcerated persons, we explore how parolees readjust to prison (e.g., revoked) as compared to parolees re-incarcerated for a new criminal offense through an analysis of misconduct behavior. We find that individuals returning to prison for a new criminal offense are at an increased risk of engaging in many forms of misconduct. We suggest that correctional policy be modified to address the drivers behind misconduct and the specific needs of the parolee population. Future research should be conducted looking at parolees in further detail.