NCJ Number
162732
Journal
Home Office Research and Statistics Directorate Research Bulletin Issue: 38 Dated: (1996) Pages: 15-20
Date Published
1996
Length
6 pages
Annotation
A research study was conducted for England's Prison Services Working Group on Violence to assess and predict staff assaults by male prisoners in local prisons and remand centers.
Abstract
Over 100 variables were examined using a 1993-1994 data set originally constructed to analyze prison cost variations. Four separate analyses were carried out (correlation, factor, regression, and discriminant) that focused on the number of assaults per 100 male prisoners rather than on the absolute number of staff assaults. Variables correlating significantly with staff assault rates included offense, age, ethnicity, and sentence status. Four broad factors accounted for a significant proportion of variations, and these factors were interpreted as representing: (1) prisons with a high percentage of black prisoners and young inexperienced staff; (2) prisons with a high staff and inmate assault rate and a large percentage of young prisoners; (3) prisons with a simple open design; and (4) prisons with a high percentage of sex offenders. Youth and remand status were confirmed as key factors in determining the number of assaults in local male prisons and remand centers. Staff age and experience emerged as good predictors of assault, as did the proportion of black inmates in prison populations. Study findings also underlined the difference between causal and incidental relationships. 5 references, 2 tables, and 2 figures