Behavior and Adaptation in Long-Term Prison Inmates

A comprehensive set of measures of behavior, emotional states, and cognitions was gathered longitudinally for a sample of long-term prison inmates across more than 7 years from the beginning of their terms. Over time they became more involved in work and other structured activities, and less involved in casual socializing with other inmates, but their rates of contact with people on the outside were maintained. These changes were accompanied by evidence of improved adaptation, including considerable decreases over time in dysphoric emotional states, and also decreases in stress-related medical problems and the number of disciplinary incidents. Although these beneficial effects cannot easily be interpreted as the effects of long-term imprisonment, the entire pattern of results provides strong evidence against expectations of widespread or generalized deleterious effects.