DOI: 10.3886/icpsr09921.v1
title: Validating Prison Security Classification Instruments in Hawaii, 1984-1985
title: Version 1

description: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a
 reliable and accurate method for measuring the effectiveness of
 offender classification systems to improve the management of
 correctional facilities. In the early 1980s, the state of Hawaii began
 classifying its prisoners with a newly developed Federal Bureau of
 Prisons classification instrument. This study was designed to develop
 a method to evaluate this form. Two prediction models were used. The
 first, initial classification, used the sum of four variables to
 arrive at a security score, which was taken to be predictive of
 violence. The second, reclassification, used the sum of seven
 different variables to obtain a custody total, which was then used as
 a major determinant of reclassification. Two groups of inmates were
 used: inmates who had committed infractions and inmates with no
 reported infractions. Research variables include (a) initial
 classification: offense (severity), expected length of incarceration
 (sentence), type of prior commitments, and history of violence, and
 (b) reclassification: percentage of time served, involvement with
 drugs/alcohol, mental/psychological stability, most serious
 disciplinary report, frequency of disciplinary reports, responsibility
 that the inmate demonstrated, and family/community ties. In addition,
 the collection supplies information on race and sex of inmates,
 sentence limitation, history of escapes or attempts, previous
 infractions, entry, reclassification, and termination dates (month and
 year), and custody level. There are demographic variables for sex and
race. The unit of observation is the inmate.
description: The purpose of this study was to develop and
 validate a reliable and accurate method for measuring the
 effectiveness of offender classification systems to improve the
 management of correctional facilities. In the early 1980s, the state
 of Hawaii began classifying its prisoners with a newly developed
 Federal Bureau of Prisons classification instrument. The goal of this
 study was to estimate the validity of this new classification
 instrument using Cox's Proportional Hazards model. The results were
 then compared to a more traditional statistical procedure to
 demonstrate the advantage of the new method in predicting
 violence. Two prediction models, one at intake and one after six
 months in prison, were used to evaluate the difference between the
 traditional and the new methods. The first model, initial
 classification (security total), used the sum of four variables and
 was the only method that would be used for classification purposes for
 the first six months. This security total was taken to be predictive
 of violence. After this time, the reclassification prediction model
 (custody total) was applied, using the sum of seven different
 variables. This custody total variable was used as a major determinant
 of reclassification. The two groups of inmates used were (1)
 infractors, all inmates who had committed an act of violence while in
 the institution from 1977 to September 1980, and (2) noninfractors, a
 sample selected from the group of individuals who did not commit major
violations during the time period.
description: Two inmate samples were drawn from the Hawaii
 State Prison case files. The infractors group was composed of 57
 inmates who had committed an act of violence while in the institution.
 A noninfractors group of 106 inmates was selected from the individuals
 who had not committed a major violation during their incarceration.
 For the infractors, a classification form was filled out for the
 semiannual evaluation period immediately preceding each incident, and
 for the evaluation period after the last incident. For the
 noninfractors, one form was filled out for the semiannual evaluation
 period immediately preceding the sampled time. The variable SECTOT
 (the sum of the four initial classification variables) was the major
 predictor of violence and was used to fit a proportional hazards model
 to predict the initial incident of violence. In addition, a stepwise
 analysis was run using the original variables rather than the SECTOT
variable as a further check.
description: Research variables include (a) initial
 classification: offense (severity), expected length of incarceration
 (sentence), type of prior commitments, and history of violence, and
 (b) reclassification: percentage of time served, involvement with
 drugs/alcohol, mental/psychological stability, most serious
 disciplinary report, frequency of disciplinary reports, responsibility
 that the inmate demonstrated, and family/community ties. In addition,
 the collection supplies information on race and sex of inmates,
 sentence limitation, history of escapes or attempts, previous
 infractions, entry, reclassification, and termination dates (month and
year), and custody level.
description: Response Rates: Not applicable.
description: Presence of Common Scales: None
description: Two samples of prison inmates were used, one group of 57
 inmates who had committed infractions and another group of 106 inmates
who had no reported infractions.
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: Prisoner Data
DS2: SAS Data Definition Statements
description: All prison inmates in the Hawaii State Prison (now the
Oahu Community Correctional Center).
description: For further information users should refer to the
 final report, which is available from the National Criminal Justice
 Reference Service, the clearinghouse for the National Institute of
Justice.