This article examines the effectiveness of three theoretical models (deprivation, importation, and situational) in explaining violent incidents, incidents against correctional staff, and incidents against other inmates in prison. Based on a sample of 431 disciplinary reports from a men's state prison in the deep South, the authors have found all three models help explain violent incidents. The deprivation and situational models help explain incidents against correctional staff. The situational and importation models contribute to explanations of incidents against other inmates. With regard to the relative power of each theoretical model in explaining inmate misconduct in prison, the situational model is the most powerful based on the total chi-square change of the model. According to the average of chi-square change per variable in each model, however, the deprivation model is the most powerful and the situational is the least in explaining violent incidents and incidents against correctional staff.
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