abstract: The most prominent theories for explaining the incidence and prevalence of misconduct in prison are deprivation (Clemmer, 1940; Sykes, 1958; Colvin, 1992), importation (Irwin and Cressey, 1962; Harer and Steffensmeier, 1996; Cao Zhao, and Van Dine, 1997), and administrative control (DiIulio, 1987; Useem and Kimball, 1989; Useem and Reisig, 1999). Administrative control does not supersede deprivation and importation theories, but rather adds to them by asserting quality management is essential for the maintenance of an orderly environment jeopardized by the effects of deprivation and importation. Even though research has supported administrative control, researchers have disagreed over which aspects of management are most effective for mitigating disorder, and have thus far only proven that poor management leads to administrative breakdowns in policies and practices that predicate disorder. This dissertation introduces the concept of positive administrative control, based on social exchange theory, as the mechanism prison administrators should use to induce staff to act in accordance with agency desires and avoid administrative breakdowns. The results show that when prison employees experience quality relationships with their supervisors, they are more likely engage with inmates in a similar fashion, which is associated with reductions in misconduct rates. At the same time, when prison employees are supported and rewarded for their good behavior, they are more likely to actively monitor inmates, which is associated with increases in misconduct rates. Additionally, the results support importation theory by demonstrating that the aggregated criminogenic characteristics of inmates in a prison are representative of cultural influences on prison misconduct. Based on these findings, recommendations are made to restructure leadership training to emphasize relational leadership skills that positively influence staff to act in accordance with agency desires and more closely follow policy guidelines. It is also recommended that future studies consider including aggregated demographic variables in studies of misconduct in order to capture cultural/environmental influences that may otherwise be missed, and should avoid overuse of composite variables, in particular institution security level. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Criminology and Criminal Justice 2015

Almost 2,000 males, who have been convicted of crimes covering the gamut of criminal activities, are institutionalized in the state prison in Johnson County, Tennessee. These inmates, housed in the confines of a few concrete buildings, represent a society that is dissimilar from the free-world society. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine the characteristics of an inmate leader. Research data were collected through interviews with 20 prisoners located in the Northeast Correctional Complex in Mountain City, Tennessee. Inmate leaders, selected for the study, included gang leaders and non-gang leaders. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed for the data analysis. To capture the essence of the interviews, interpretivism was used for the analysis. A holistic view allowed certain overlapping themes to be isolated. Findings were presented thematically as they answered specific research questions. Past experiences of inmates and the prisonization process gave them a unique and different understanding of leadership. To serve in a leadership role, the inmates determined that the person had to be trustworthy, follow the code of silence and show respect for fellow inmates in the carceral setting. Gang leaders had a greater focus on coercion and power in their roles as leaders. The controlled prison environment conditioned the inmates to a survival mode. Inmate Larry encapsulated life on the other side of the fence: “Prison is what you make it.” Recommendations included researching the leadership traits of juveniles in the correctional system. This data could be useful in re-directing the leadership energies of these youths. A study of leadership traits identified by females in the correctional justice system would provide information on how the traits are shaped by gender, prisonization, or a life with little exposure to leadership role models.