NCJ Number
178883
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Dated: January 1999 Pages: 25-29
Date Published
January 1999
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Data from official records of reported disciplinary infractions in correctional institutions in Quebec, Canada, in 1996 were used to study the incidence of violence against prison staff.
Abstract
Of 8,554 disciplinary infractions, 9.26 percent involved the use of physical violence; of 792 cases of violence, 162 were directed against people other than offenders. These 162 cases involved 154 prison guards, 4 members of the medical staff, 1 parole commissioner, 1 telephone repair person, 1 help cook, and 1 psychologist. Forty cases could be called assaults; these cases included throwing an object and blows or other acts likely to cause injury. However, some of these incidents did not necessarily justify a report to the police. Five assaults on correctional officers were reported to the police; none involved serious injuries. Findings revealed that physical violence against correctional officers is infrequent and that employees other than correctional officers do not appear to be targets for offenders. The rarity of violence against staff has several possible explanations. Among these are that the prohibition against such violence is part of the inmate's informal code of conduct, that guards rarely leave themselves vulnerable in contacts with inmates, and that inmates are aware that punishment will be both certain and severe. Tables and 14 reference notes