This study adds to the literature by clarifying the effects of visitation on serious and violent misconduct among maximum security inmates through the application of Propensity Score Matching (PSM). Findings demonstrate that once the visited and non-visited groups were matched on covariates of visitation, major violations were significantly influenced by visitation from family and friends. For the violent and injurious acts, the visitation group experienced a 25% reduction in these acts, but only the physical assault with inmate injury reached significance. Results are discussed from the perspective of social support theory.

Keywords: Propensity Score Matching, maximum-security, prison violence, inmate visitation, social support theory