2015/11/11 by Andrea M. Lindsey, Daniel P. Mears, Joshua C. Cochran +2
Health Professions · Social Sciences · #Crime Patterns and Interventions #Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis #Homelessness and Social Issues
paper · doi:10.1177/0011128715614017
openalex publication_date 2015/11/11 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Drawing on theory and research on prisoner behavior, this study examines whether spatial distance from home influences inmates’ likelihood of engaging in misconduct. Three hypotheses are developed: distally placed inmates will engage in more misconduct, distance will have a greater effect on misconduct among younger inmates, and visitation will mediate these relationships. We test the hypotheses using negative binomial regression analyses of data from the Florida Department of Corrections ( N = 33,853). Support for the hypotheses is mixed. A curvilinear relationship between distance and misconduct was identified, with a positive effect on misconduct for distances up to 350 miles and a negative effect thereafter. Distance effects were greater for younger inmates and were partially mediated by visitation. Implications of the findings are discussed.