Motivation for Life Without Parole Prisoners

We have begun learning about what motivates us and how our body triggers certain responses as an adaptive way to enhance survival. This blog is interested in expanding this idea further and seeing how the general population orders these motivations in comparison to individuals who are serving life without parole (LWOP) in a prison. Due to the amount of research being conducted into the field of motivation the number of identified motives has risen. This led to the organization of these motives as a way of identifying the more important basic ones in comparison to the higher order ones which can only be achieved after all basic needs are met. One approach demonstrating this was Maslow and the hierarchy of needs (1942)(figure 1). This identified that physiological needs such as hunger, thirst and shelter were basic needs and therefore at the bottom of the hierarchy with safety, esteem and self-actualization reaching the top.

The Hierarchy of needs has been criticised due to a lack of empirical evidence (Calyton 1969) with research only showing partial support for the actual model of the hierarchy (Wahba and Bridwell 1976).  But how does this model apply for prison inmates where really only the basic physiological needs are met. In the US 1 in every 35 prisoners are serving life without parole sentences (Appleton and Grover 2007) meaning that they are mostly likely going to spend the rest of their lives incarcerated. Since 1978 more than 2,500 inmates have been sentenced to LWOP in California and since that time not one has been granted a lessened sentence (Sundby 2005). For this reason I thought it would be interesting to see how motivations of inmates change the further into their sentence they are.

Evidence has shown how over time there is a motivational shift for LWOP inmates from socialising with other inmates to being more involved in work and other structural activities (Zamble 1992). This showing how LWOP inmates are able to establish their esteem needs before belongingness in the Maslow hierarchy. This longitudinal study of over 7 years did however show that as well as this motivational shift there was also a significant decrease in reported stress and stress related illnesses while levels of contact with people on the outside were maintained. This suggesting support for the hierarchy of needs as prisoners felt safer as levels of stress decreased but suggesting that belongingness was not essential within the prison.  As with most prison research this study can be criticised for not conducting idiographic research as it focused solely on male offenders. As well as relying on self-report measures for collecting information about feelings of stress.

Further evidence has explained the differences between new LWOP inmates in comparison to veteran LWOP inmates with regards to stress. Results showed that new LWOP inmates (individuals who have served less than half of their original sentence) had a higher prevalence of mental health disorders compared to veteran LWOP (Leigey 2010). They also reported to have increase subjective feelings of aggression and more contemplations of revenge. This showing that over time as safety needs become met and levels of stress decrease there is a motivational shift for fewer anti-social acts and less reports of mental health disorders. However again this research did rely on self-report questionnaires and as the topic of mental health is delicate some participants may have felt uncomfortable answering the questions even though they were ensured full confidentiality. As well as this other factors excluding stress should have been identified as having effects on mental health.

This research suggests that individuals serving sentences of LWOP do share similar motivational needs to individuals in the general population, however these needs are not ordered as strictly as Maslow suggested, instead these needs are ordered to fit with their environment.

Appleton, C & Grover, B. (2007). The Pros and Cons of Life Without Parole. The British Journal of Criminology. Vol 47, Issue 4, 598 – 615

Clayton, A. P. (1969). An Empirical Test of a New Theory of Human Needs. Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance. Vol 4, Issue 2, 142 – 175

Leigey, M. E. (2010). For the Longest Time: The Adjustment of Inmates to a Sentence of Life Without Parole. The Prison Journal. Vol 90, no 3. 247 – 268.

Maslow, A. H. (1943). A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review, Vol 50, no. 4, 370 – 396

Sundby, S. E. (2005). A Life and Death Decision: A Jury Weighs the Death Penalty. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Wahba, M. A. & Bridwell, L. G. (1976). Maslow Reconsidered: A Review of Research on the Need Hierarchy Theory. Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance. Vol 15, Issue 2, 212 – 240

Zamble, E. (1992). Behaviour and Adaption in Long- Term Prison Inmates. Criminal Justice and Behaviour. Vol 19, no 4. 409-425