Examining procedural justice spill-over effects on in-prison misconduct

Abstract

Objectives

The goal of this study is to evaluate the potential spill-over of police procedural justice perceptions onto perceptions of prison staff procedural justice and assess the impact of this spill-over on prison misconduct.

Methods

This study uses data from the Prison Project a longitudinal panel study collected in the Netherlands. The analytic sample included 730 participants. We use structural equation modeling to assess the direct and indirect effects of perceptions of police procedural justice on in-prison misconduct (self-reported and official) mediated by prison staff procedural justice.

Results

Perceptions of police procedural justice are significantly and positively associated with prison staff procedural justice and significantly, negatively, and indirectly associated with prison misconduct through perceptions of prison staff procedural justice. Prison staff procedural justice is significantly and negatively associated with official and self-reported misconduct.

Conclusions

Police procedural justice may have lingering effects on the behavior of people who encounter law enforcement. While prison staff may be able to affect prison misconduct through just procedures, they may benefit or suffer from the impact of people's prior criminal justice experiences.