Victimisation and feelings of safety among male and female inmates with behavioural health problems

Abstract

People with mental disorders are vulnerable to victimisation. This is particularly true in prisons, where violence and victimisation are common. This paper uses behavioural health and criminal and victimisation history data from a sample of approximately 8000 male and female inmates to explore patterns of victimisation and feelings of unsafety inside prison, and connections to community-based victimisation. We find that, independent of gender, inmates with mental disorders have poorer overall health and higher rates of community- and prison-based victimisation and feelings of unsafety relative to inmates not reporting mental disorders. Rates of prison-based victimisation are higher for those reporting prior community-based victimisation. Feelings of unsafety increase for those with mental disorders and recent prison-based victimisation. This research suggests the need for trauma treatment inside prison and for improved training and classification methodologies for keeping people with mental disorders safe inside prison.

Keywords:

• childhood victimisation
• sexual victimisation
• physical victimisation
• mental illness
• addiction
• inmates

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Office of Justice Programs (Grant #OJP-2004-RP-BX-0012) and the National Institute of Mental Health (Grant #P20 MH66170).