TY - JOUR
T1 - Race group differences in prison victimization experiences
AU - Wooldredge, John
AU - Steiner, Benjamin
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported, in part, by grants from the National Institute of Justice (Award # 2007-IJ-CX-0010 ) and the National Science Foundation (Award # SES-07155515 ). The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice or the National Science Foundation. The authors wish to thank Guy Harris, along with Brian Martin and Gayle Bickle with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, and Ruth Edwards and Tammy Morgan with the Kentucky Department of Correction for their assistance with the collection of the data for this study.
PY - 2012/9
Y1 - 2012/9
N2 - Purpose: To assess differences in victimization risk between African American and white, non-Latino inmates, and to estimate race group differences in the correlates of victimization. Methods: Random samples totaling 2,403 African Americans and 3,150 whites were drawn from all state prisons in Ohio and Kentucky and all private prisons in Ohio (n=46). Race-specific bi-level models of physical assaults and property thefts were estimated. Differences between race-specific models in the magnitude of regression coefficients for the same predictors and outcomes were compared. Results: The odds of victimization by physical assault and by theft were significantly higher among whites compared to African Americans. Race group differences in the magnitude of several inmate level effects (e.g., age, sex, education, family status, officer "legitimacy", custody score, visitation) were also significant, yet facility effects were similar for both groups. Conclusions: Assessing differences in the victimization experiences of African American and white inmates is important for developing effective crime prevention strategies in prison. We examined the most comprehensive models of inmate victimization (including inmate socio-demographics, activities during confinement, perceptions of officers, facility characteristics, and officer perceptions of rule enforcement) for one of the largest samples of prisons to date.
AB - Purpose: To assess differences in victimization risk between African American and white, non-Latino inmates, and to estimate race group differences in the correlates of victimization. Methods: Random samples totaling 2,403 African Americans and 3,150 whites were drawn from all state prisons in Ohio and Kentucky and all private prisons in Ohio (n=46). Race-specific bi-level models of physical assaults and property thefts were estimated. Differences between race-specific models in the magnitude of regression coefficients for the same predictors and outcomes were compared. Results: The odds of victimization by physical assault and by theft were significantly higher among whites compared to African Americans. Race group differences in the magnitude of several inmate level effects (e.g., age, sex, education, family status, officer "legitimacy", custody score, visitation) were also significant, yet facility effects were similar for both groups. Conclusions: Assessing differences in the victimization experiences of African American and white inmates is important for developing effective crime prevention strategies in prison. We examined the most comprehensive models of inmate victimization (including inmate socio-demographics, activities during confinement, perceptions of officers, facility characteristics, and officer perceptions of rule enforcement) for one of the largest samples of prisons to date.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2012.06.011
DO - 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2012.06.011
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84864371775
SN - 0047-2352
VL - 40
SP - 358
EP - 369
JO - Journal of Criminal Justice
JF - Journal of Criminal Justice
IS - 5
ER -