And Then They Behaved: Examining the Institutional Misconduct of Adult Inmates Who Were Incarcerated as Juveniles

Research indicates that juveniles in adult prisons are more disruptive than adults. This study extends current understanding by examining their misconduct after they reach adulthood. Bivariate analyses revealed that adults initially incarcerated as juveniles (n = 173) were significantly more likely than adults initially incarcerated as adults (n = 10,950) to have committed all types of misconduct. However, these findings were largely unconfirmed at the multivariate level. A significant difference existed between the two groups in only one regression model. Findings suggest that in regard to the nature of misconduct, inmates who were initially incarcerated as juveniles become indistinguishable over time from other inmates.