Justification of the Dual Model of Legitimacy for its Application in the Prison Environment
Purpose:
The aim of this paper is to present a new theoretical approach for studying legitimacy in the prison environment, which we call the dual model of legitimacy in prisons.
Design/Methods/Approach:
Based on a literature review on legitimacy and self-legitimacy in the prison environment, we were able to form a new approach to studying legitimacy.
Findings:
Results of previous studies have shown that legitimacy is based on a constant dialogue between power holders and recipients. We argue that both groups (prisoners and prison staff) in prison should be studied simultaneously because legitimacy, which is based on the interpersonal relations formed between prisoners and prison staff, is not a fixed phenomenon. Given the changing nature of relations in prison, we can assume that perceptions of legitimacy and self-legitimacy are changing all the time.
Research Limitations / Implications:
The large number of factors included in the model raises the issue of multicollinearity. Further, because we assumed that legitimacy in prison derives from interpersonal relations between prison staff and prisoners, which are changing all the time, we have to measure legitimacy and self-legitimacy simultaneously. However, due to the ever-changing relations in prisons, which are very specific, we can assume that repetition of research would give different results – the problem of reliability of the results.
Originality/Value:
The dual model of legitimacy in prisons not only combines two different approaches to studying legitimacy (prisoners’ perception of legitimacy and prison staff’ perception of self-legitimacy), but also represents the first step to a comprehensive approach to studying legitimacy in prisons, which still needs to be tested in practice.
UDC: 343.2.01+343.8
Keywords: legitimacy, prison, prison staff, self-legitimacy