The Implications of Borderline Personality Features for Jail Inmates' Institutional Misconduct and Treatment-Seeking

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is common in jails and prisons. In a sample of 506 jail inmates (30% female), we examined whether BPD symptoms assessed upon incarceration predict subsequent institutional misconduct and treatment-seeking. BPD features modestly predicted occurrence (vs. nonoccurrence) of institutional misconduct. Importantly, BPD did not predict the number of institutional misconduct incidents. That is, BPD was not associated with frequent, repeated difficulties in institutional adjustment. Consistent with previous research showing a relationship between BPD and past treatment-seeking in clinical and community samples, jail inmates' BPD features significantly predicted subsequent requests for treatment. Regarding specific types of treatment, the relationship held for substance abuse programs and forensic mental health services but not for psychoeducational services or support groups. There were very few moderators of the link between BPD and subsequent institutional misconduct and treatment-seeking. Most of the observed relationships held across sex, race, and age. Findings of the study indicate that jail staff and clinicians must learn to distinguish between initial adjustment problems and frequent misconduct among inmates high in BPD to facilitate their adjustment. The study further highlights the need for BPD-relevant treatments and services in jails.