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Inmate Assaults on Prison Staff: A Multilevel Examination of an Overlooked Form of Prison Violence

NCJ Number
227404
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 89 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2009 Pages: 131-150
Author(s)
Karen F. Lahm
Date Published
June 2009
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This study examined inmate-on-staff assaults.
Abstract
Results show that inmate age and aggression maintained their significance even when prison-level variables were taken into consideration. Findings suggest that despite the harshness of prison contexts, assaults on staff are still very personal and psychological in nature. The importance of individual-level age may force prison officials to rethink the current policies regarding the placement of juveniles in both adult and youth facilities. Placing younger inmates in either adult prisons or juvenile correctional facilities seems to create a more violent atmosphere for prison staff. Prison officials may be forced to track the number of young inmates that they place in both types of facilities with the hopes of maintaining staff safety. Overly aggressive inmates may require more secure settings. Prison officials may also need to develop new classification instruments that seek to measure an inmate's individual aggression, as it appears to be a significant factor contributing to inmate assaultive behavior. Data were collected from self-report surveys administered to 1,054 inmates in 30 prisons across Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and/or from prison officials during the time of survey administration. Tables, notes, and references