APLS 2009_Time Does Not Heal All Wounds

Suzanne Kaasa, Joseph Tatar & Elizabeth Cauffman University of California, Irvine

1) Voice

2) Neutrality 3) Respectfulness 4) Trustworthiness

(e.g., Leventhal, 1980; Fagan & Tyler, 2005; Tyler & Lind, 1992)

Emotions e.g., anger, sadness

Attitudes e.g., approval of authorities

Behaviors e.g., increased rule-abiding behavior

(e.g., Mikula et al.,1998; Paternoster et al.,1997; Tyler, 2000; Tyler et al., 2007)

1) How are these effects displayed among incarcerated females?

2) How long do these effects last?

Female offending may be on the rise.

Female psychopathology begins to emerge during adolescence.

Females engage in different coping strategies than males.

(Kratzer & Hodgins, 1999; Nolen-Hoeksema & Jackson, 2001; Rutter, et al., 2003; Sukhodolsky et al., 2001; Storvoll & Wichstrom, 2003; Western et al., 2003; Zahn-Waxler et al., 1991)

Perceived unfair treatment will result in negative adjustment during incarceration:

Increased levels of emotional problems Negative attitudes toward facility staff Increased behavioral problems

Systematic analysis of time effects lacking.

Some studies suggest effects last up to 19 months.

Longitudinal study found effects of perceived injustice disappeared after 20 months.

Community samples in business settings (Ambrose & Cropanzano, 2003; Bennett, Martin, Bies, & Brockner, 1995; Gopinath &

Becker, 2000; Levy & Williams, 1998)

10

15

20

25

30

Short Long

Sym

ptom

s

Length of Incarceration

Just

Unjust10

15

20

25

30

Short Long

Sym

ptom

s


Just

Unjust

10

15

20

25

30

Short Long

Sym

ptom

s


Just

Unjust

10

15

20

25

30

Short Long

Sym

ptom

s


Just Event

Unjust Event

10

15

20

25

30

Short Long

Sym

ptom

s


Just Event

Unjust Event

10

15

20

25

30

Short Long

Sym

ptom

s


Just Event

Unjust Event

94 incarcerated females

Age 15-24 years (mean 18.72)

39%

21%

18%

22% Latina

African American

White

Other

Weeks incarcerated 1-388 (median = 69.5)

Two groups 20 Months or under (61%) Over 20 months (39%)

Groups did not differ on: age, race, prior arrests, type of offenses, anger, depression, or perceptions procedural justice

Think back to the time you were in court for the crime that got you here.

15 items, alpha = .89

1-5 scale, higher scores = greater injustice

Median split: Just Event vs. Unjust Event

“My lawyer really wanted to help me.” “The judge treated me with respect and dignity.”

Adapted from: Piquero et al., 2006; Casper, Tyler, & Fisher, 1988; Tyler, 1990

Depressive Symptoms

Anger

Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Inventory (CES-D; Radloff, 1977)

20 items, baseline alpha = .82 Higher score = more symptoms of

depression “How many times have you had the

following feelings…I felt sad.”

Novaco Anger Scale (NAS; Novaco, 2003)

60 items, baseline alpha = .94 Higher score = greater anger

“When I think about something that makes

me angry, I get even more angry.”

10

15

20

25

30

20 months or under Over 20 months

Dep

ress

ive

Sym

ptom

s


Just ExperienceUnjust Experience

70

80

90

100

20 months or under Over 20 months

Ang

er L

evel



“How safe do you feel from staff here?”

1) in danger all of the time 2) in danger most of the time 3) in danger some of the time 4) in danger very little of the time 5) in danger none of the time (feel safe all the time)

Higher scores indicate feeling safer.

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

20 Months or Less Over 20 Months

Mea

n Pe

rcei

ved

Safe

ty



Acting Out Index

Index score ranged from 0-5 (higher = more acting out)

Combined reports of: ▪ Self-report of institutional offending (Huizinga, Esbensen, & Weihar,

1991)

▪ Substance use ▪ Written up by staff ▪ Physically restrained by staff ▪ Lost privileges

1

2

3

4

5


Mea

n L

evel

of A

ctin

g O

ut



Perceived unjust treatment associated with: Higher levels of depressive symptoms Greater fear of staff

Procedural justice effects moderated by length of incarceration.

What about anger & behavioral problems?

Ceiling effects for anger

▪ Incarcerated populations

Too much variety in behavior problems

▪ Floor effects for institutional offending alone

Why do effects of perceived injustice worsen over time?

Restrictive setting Rumination

Efforts towards rehabilitation may need to

begin at the earliest contacts with the justice system.

Unfair trials are problematic, even if the “right” outcome was achieved.

Future research should explore how perceived unjust treatment affects adjustment out of incarceration.

Age: ns

Prior arrests: ns

Been to the facility before: ns

Race: significant interaction with length of incarceration

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5


Mea

n Pe

rcei

ved

Inju

stic

e


African AmericanHispanicCaucasian

16

18

20

22

24

26


Self-

Est

eem


Just EventUnjust Event

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Just Event Unjust Event

Glo

bal C

ourt

Inju

stic

e

Perception of Last Court Appearance

Documents

APLS 2009_Time Does Not Heal All Wounds