Proceedings of the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research

Introduction:
Researchers have explored the causes of inmate behavior, including individual, environmental, and administrative variables, and the relationships between some of these variables. Most research on inmate behavior is focused on identifying the causes of problematic behavior, but these theories are also capable of explaining compliant and positive inmate behavior. The current study uses these theories of inmate behavior to examine the Veterans Service Office (VSO) at the California Training Facility (CTF) in Soledad, California. This VSO is the first of its kind in the United States and it has achieved an extraordinary level of success, which includes significant service provision at CTF, and outreach to prisons throughout California, prisons in other states, and the surrounding community.
Goals and Methods:
This study utilizes a single-case design. An explanation building approach was adopted for this study and three types of data were collected. First, direct observations were made during a site visit in May 2013. Second, informal, unstructured interviews were conducted with several inmates and staff during the site visit. Third, documentation was generated via correspondence with the inmates who started the VSO over a 6.5-year period from July 2013 through December 2019. The data were evaluated using content analysis with predetermined codes.
Results:
The results highlight the specific factors that played a role in the development and success of the VSO at CTF.
Conclusion:
This single-case study utilized existing theories of inmate behavior to examine positive inmate behavior. The results suggest the possibility of a more nuanced model of inmate behavior that integrates individual, environmental, and administrative factors. The results also lend support to the literature on peer-support groups and mature coping in prison. Future research should explore a refined integrated model of inmate behavior and empirically examine the influence of this organization on inmate behavior.