The Violent and Victimized in the Male Prison

A review of the literature on prison violence identifies two types of studies concerning violent and victimized inmates. One, typified by Irwin's Prisons in Turmoil, is rich in descriptive detail but is generally based on one person's observations and assessment of what is taking place in the prison setting. The second set consists of empirically generated profiles of either violent or victimized inmates and tend to be limited in scope. This study seeks to expand existing empirical research by testing some of the propositions posed in the descriptive literature. Specifically, the study examines the differences and similarities of violent and victimized inmates and explores whether environmental factors affect these inmates' behavior. The methodology consists of a cross-sectional analysis of patterns of inmate adjustment in ten prisons. Using several indicators of violence and victimization, the distinctiveness of these two groups is explored, and profiles using background variables, personality types, and environmental concerns are developed. To test whether violent and victimized inmates experience incarceration differently, the study examined whether they rate their environmental situation differently. Profiles of aggressive inmates conform to the descriptions of state-raised youth found in the literature. These institutionally experienced individuals are considered to be among the most violent individuals in prison and are a source of considerable disruption. However, this research revealed two types of predatory inmates: a group who have trouble relating to other people and another who are assaultive. Personality types helped explain the differences in the two groups. Findings concerning victimized inmates were consistent with the literature. They are the "lambs" within the population, lackin ex perience to cope with the predatory environment. They, too, f av; distinctive personalities. Contextual factors were found to be related to troubled adjustment to prison. Both violent and victimized inmates have specific environmental needs and rate the prison setting as worse than do nonviolent or non-victimized inmates.