Citation

Wolter D, Häuße J. Monatssc. Kriminol. Strafrechtsreform 2014; 97(4): 280-293.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014)

DOI

10.1515/mks-2014-970404

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The significance of inmate personal records exceeds a mere registration function. Inmate personal records influence decision-making processes in daily prison work and are often the only data source for criminological (prison) research. It is indisputable that the data of official records are selective reconstructions of a complex reality. However, the extent of the discrepancy between official records and the reality is unknown. In the course of the research project "Violence and Suicide in Youth Correctional Facilities" for the first time it was possible to compare recorded acts of violence in the inmates' personal records and their self-reported offences concerning violence against other inmates. This article discusses aspects of decision-making based on official records and takes on methodological issues concerning the reliability of coding official records. The comparison between official records and self-reported data reveals a discrepancy of 1:5.3 for violence among inmates on the offender level (16 inmates with entries in their personal records vs. 84 inmates who reported violence in the survey), and 1:6.5 for violent acts between inmates on the case level (23 registered violent acts vs. 149 self-reported acts).

Language: de

Keywords

Reliability; Decision-making; Dark figure of crime; Official crimes data; Official misconduct data; Young offender institutions