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Micro-level Analysis of Social Structure and Social Control Intrastate Use of Jail and Prison Confinement

NCJ Number
128680
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1990) Pages: 325-340
Author(s)
B R McCarthy
Date Published
1990
Length
16 pages
Annotation
The purpose of this study is to examine conflict theory as it applies to the use of confinement sanctions with a focus on three areas: the influence of structural factors on the use of jail sentences as well as on prison confinement; intrastate social control at the county level; and the effects of structural factors in both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Abstract
The review of the literature is broken down into several areas: crime rates and incarceration, conflict perspective and incarceration, unemployment, size of subordinant populations, studies of jail confinement, and the role of urbanization. The findings show that, on the whole, the crime and structural variables employed in the present analysis explain moderate levels of variation in the use of confinement sanctions. The present model accounts for almost half of the variation in prison rates, but explains slightly less variation in the use of jail sanctions. In metropolitan areas, unemployment continues to have a strong direct effect on the use of jail sentences, but also is seen to have a comparable effect on the use of prison sentences. Violent crime rate exerts a significant direct effect on the use of both prison and jail sentences. However, in nonmetropolitan areas, the use of jail and prison sanctions is explained neither by the level of crime nor by structural factors. 3 tables and 66 references

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