| The primary purpose of this dissertation will be to explore the relationship between pseudo-family membership and institutional misconduct, from a General Strain Theory (GST) perspective, among a sample of incarcerated women. As a theory of deviant behavior in general, not solely criminal behavior, GST should explain deviance in a variety of situations and populations, including deviance among incarcerated women. Incarcerated women are distinct from incarcerated men in the ways they cope with strains faced in prison. Specifically, women frequently rely on relationships and social support as coping mechanisms. In fact, incarcerated women often forge close bonds with fellow inmates and sometimes form pseudo-families in prison. It is possible that these relationships impact the level of strain and subsequent negative emotions that incarcerated women experience. However, to date, no studies exist that address women inmates' and/or pseudo-family members' misconduct from a GST perspective. Therefore, using a series of path analyses, this dissertation will explore 1) the relationship between strain, anger, depression, institutional misconduct and pseudo-family membership, 2) the relationship between strain, anger, depression and institutional misconduct among women who fill different family roles (i.e. sister, mother, aunt, etc.) and, 3) whether the relationship between strain, anger, depression and misconduct differs based on whether an inmate gives or receives support from family members?... |
