Prison Locus of Control Scale

Abstract

The Prison Locus of Control Scale (PLOCS) is a psychological instrument developed to measure the degree to which incarcerated individuals perceive control over events, outcomes, and experiences within a jail or prison environment. This scale is specifically tailored to assess an inmate‘s beliefs regarding internal factors (personal effort, attitude, and behavior) versus external factors (institutional administration, guards, luck, or the overall criminal justice system) as determinants of their fate and well-being while incarcerated. Understanding this perception of control is crucial for predicting engagement in rehabilitation programs and overall adjustment to prison life.

Keywords

Locus of Control, correctional psychology, inmate, jail, prison, incarceration, psychological assessment, rehabilitation, control beliefs, criminal justice system

Authors

Anna Cutlip

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the Prison Locus of Control Scale is to quantify the dimension of perceived control specific to the correctional setting. Unlike general Locus of Control scales, the PLOCS focuses on highly specific environmental factors relevant to incarcerated life, such as interactions with guards, access to programs, avoidance of violence, and the prospects of early release or successful rehabilitation.

The scale serves as a diagnostic tool for researchers and correctional staff to identify individuals who exhibit a highly external locus of control, indicating a belief that outcomes are determined by fate or the institution, which may correlate with lower motivation for behavioral change or participation in beneficial activities. Conversely, a high internal locus of control score suggests the inmate believes personal actions dictate their success and experience while serving time.

Construct

The PLOCS measures Locus of Control (LoC), a key concept in personality psychology originating from Julian Rotter’s social learning theory. In the context of the PLOCS, the construct is divided into two poles: Internal LoC and External LoC.

• Internal Locus of Control: Items reflecting this dimension suggest the inmate believes they have the ability to influence their environment, behavior, and outcomes within the correctional facility (e.g., “I can use almost any program to my advantage” or “How soon I get released depends on how I act”).
• External Locus of Control: Items reflecting this dimension suggest the inmate believes outside forces, such as the administration, guards, luck, or societal factors, determine their experiences and future (e.g., “Most of what happens to me in jail is out of my hands” or “My fate lies in the hands of the system”).

Validity

While specific psychometric data regarding criterion and construct validity are detailed within the originating thesis, the scale demonstrates high face validity given that the items are directly derived from the experiences and perceptions of the target population. The scale’s development, as part of a Master’s thesis, typically involves steps to ensure construct validity by correlating PLOCS scores with other established measures of adjustment, behavior, and psychological well-being among inmates.

The scale’s focus on distinct environmental factors within the jail setting suggests an attempt to achieve ecological validity, ensuring the measure accurately reflects the unique psychological reality of incarceration. Researchers would typically examine whether scores predict institutional infractions (supporting predictive validity) or correlate negatively with measures of hopelessness or learned helplessness.

Reliability

Reliability, particularly internal consistency, is critical for the PLOCS due to its use of a multi-item Likert scale. High internal consistency (often measured by Cronbach’s Alpha) would indicate that the 35 items consistently measure the underlying construct of correctional Locus of Control. The reliability analysis within the original study would confirm the stability and homogeneity of the items designed to capture internal and external control beliefs.

Factor Analysis

A thorough Factor Analysis (likely Principal Component Analysis or Exploratory Factor Analysis) would have been conducted during the scale development process to confirm that the 35 items cluster into distinct, meaningful sub-dimensions of Locus of Control relevant to the prison environment. Given the item content, it is highly probable that the scale factors into specific domains such as:

• Control over Institutional Outcomes (e.g., release, treatment by administration).
• Control over Interpersonal Dynamics (e.g., respect from guards and inmates).
• Control over Personal State (e.g., managing boredom, depression, or violence).

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological assessment scale

Format: 35 statements rated on a 10-point Likert scale (1 = Agree, 10 = Disagree)

Language Available: English

Population Group: Inmates (specifically cited in the source as jail inmates)

Age Group: Adults (based on demographic data collected, which includes marital status and employment history)

Population Details: Individuals currently incarcerated in a jail or correctional facility.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with 35 opinion statements regarding their experience in jail, using a continuum ranging from 1 (Agree) to 10 (Disagree).

Keywords

Rotter’s scale, penal environment, correctional facility, self-efficacy, psychological scale, criminological research, perceived control

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not available in source

Affiliation Email addresses: Not available in source

Correspondence Address: Louisiana State University, Department of Sociology (as of 2002 thesis defense)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Prison Locus of Control Scale was developed by Anna Cutlip as part of her Master of Arts Thesis in the Department of Sociology at Louisiana State University in May 2002. As an academic instrument derived from a thesis, it is typically accessible for research purposes, though formal permissions for commercial or clinical use may require contact with the author or the university. No specific fee information is provided in the source material.

Reference’s

Cutlip, Anna. (2002). A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in The Department of Sociology. Louisiana State University, May 2002.

The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-0418102-094358/unrestricted/Cutlip_thesis.pdf

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Items of the Prison Locus of Control Scale

The following 35 statements on this questionnaire represent opinions that some inmates have about their experience in jail. Please read each statement, and circle a number that shows the degree to which you agree or disagree with it. For example, circling #3 would indicate that you pretty much agree with it, whereas circling #8 would indicate you lean toward disagreeing with it as far as your personal experience is concerned.

1. Rehabilitation is possible for me in this jail.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

2. You can’t avoid trouble in jail because it comes looking for you.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

3. There is really no way I can relate to guards most of the time.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

4. Getting bonded out has more to do with luck than anything else.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

5. It seems no matter how hard I try the system won’t give an inch.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

6. I can’t get jail officials to notice when I do good.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

7. It makes little sense to plan in jail because you never know what will happen.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

8. Most of what happens to me in jail is out of my hands.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

9. In jail you can’t really think before you act.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

10. Violence in jail can not be avoided.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

11. Only the administration can solve the tensions that exist in jail.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

12. I can use almost any program to my advantage.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

13. A inmate is really in ch‎arge of his own fate.

14. I have very little influence over how much respect other inmates show me.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

15. How I act will influence how much respect guards show me.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

16. How soon I get released depends on how I act.

Agree 1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

17. I can take pretty good care of myself in jail.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

18. There are very few problems that come up in jail that I can’t handle.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

19. I can stop myself from getting down or depressed.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

20. There isn’t much I can do in this jail to stop myself from being bored.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

21. I have the power to make this bit (“time”) useful.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

22. Be it good or bad, inmates deserve most of what happens to them.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

23. Inmates who can’t get guards to treat them with respect don’t understand how to get along with guards.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

24. It is really up to the inmate whether jail becomes an opportunity or a punishment.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

25. Society put me here, and society and will determine when I leave and if I come back.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

26. The administration should listen to the ideas of inmates.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

27. My fate lies in the hands of the system.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

28. You have to be more smart than lucky to get by in jail.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

29. An inmate really can’t be expected to keep his cool in a place like jail.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

30. When an inmate gets in trouble it is usually the end result of jail staff abusing their authority.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

31. An inmate has a lot of control over how he is treated.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

32. Most guards are influenced by the actions of inmates.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

33. Jail is so negative that I can’t help but be influenced in a negative way.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

34. Good things happen to inmates who make good things happen.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree

35. Peer pressure is so strong in jail that it prevents me from doing good.

Agree1_____2_____3_____4_____5_____6_____7_____8_____9_____10Disagree