The Victim–Offender Overlap in Prison Interpersonal Harm: Comparing Incarcerated-Person and Staff-Related Events

Despite the prevalence of victimization in prisons and the potential for individuals to be victims and perpetrators of violence, few studies have empirically tested the overlap in prisons. This study contributes to scholarship on prison experiences among incarcerated persons and is the first study to examine characteristics that lend to incidents of victimization involving incarcerated persons and prison staff using official administrative records. It draws on prior research, and theories of prison adaptation and analyses of recorded incidents of victimization and offending to better understand the complex dynamics of the victim–offender overlap in prisons. The findings underscore that the victim–offender overlap is complex; is associated with sex, race, mental illness, gang affiliation, and custody level; and can differ when incidents involve other incarcerated persons versus prison staff. Implications for research and policy are discussed.