From Adversity to Aggressive Behaviour: A Longitudinal Study of Institutional Misconduct Among Romanian Juvenile Inmates

Abstract

This study examines the predictors of violent conduct among juvenile inmates within the Romanian correctional system, with a specific emphasis on property-destructive behaviours occurring during incarceration. Responding to a critical gap in the national literature, the research utilizes a longitudinal design to follow a cohort of 439 adolescents (Mage = 16.21; 5.2% female) over a two-year observation period. Findings from survival analyses demonstrate that incidents of violence directed at institutional infrastructure, such as the destruction of windows, doors, furniture, and walls, are significantly associated with both pre-incarceration adversities and institutional conditions. In addition, psychological variables, including low frustration tolerance, impaired self-esteem, and emotion dysregulation, emerge as salient predictors of such misconduct. These results advance current theoretical and empirical understandings of institutional violence and carry important implications for correctional policy development and targeted intervention strategies.