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AGE AND RULE‐BREAKING IN PRISON A Test of Sociocultural Interpretations
Author(s) -
JENSEN GARY F.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
criminology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.467
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1745-9125
pISSN - 0011-1384
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-9125.1977.tb00043.x
Subject(s) - prison , normative , sociocultural evolution , test (biology) , psychology , developmental psychology , sociology , social psychology , criminology , demography , political science , law , anthropology , paleontology , biology
Age differences in rule‐breaking have been widely noted and widely explained, but rarely if ever have sociological explanations been subjected to actual test. This study examines such age differences among women in prison and lends support to the notion that age differences are more characteristic of inmates with urban backgrounds than of inmates with rural or small town backgrounds. Moreover, among urban inmates age differences appear to be due to age‐related normative orientations and commitments rather than age “itself” or related losses of “energy,”“daring,” or “vigor.” Finally, the study supports recurring arguments that non‐constitutional characteristics of inmates can shape normative and behavioral conflict within the prison .