ABSTRACT
Institutional misconduct is a significant problem in prisons in the United States. Each year, numerous inmates are written up for infractions ranging from minor to serious. The purpose of this essay is to explore how modern correctional institutions address patterns of misconduct within their facilities. Prisons currently rely upon a wide range of disciplinary actions to address misconduct within their facilities. These disciplinary actions include the loss of privileges and loss of good-time credits but can also include far more punitive approaches, such as the utilization of various forms of restrictive housing. While the intent of these disciplinary actions is to reduce subsequent misconduct, recent research indicates that harsher punishments can lead to counterproductive results. This includes increased rates of misconduct along with adverse individual effects. This chapter examines these disciplinary actions in further detail and how prisons maintain safe and orderly environments. Finally, this chapter will examine some of the emerging literature surrounding some of the new practices regarding disciplinary infractions. This chapter hopes to shed light on the nature of these infractions and why continued research is needed within this domain.
