Understanding the Consequences of Prison Violence Through Interviews with Impacted Men

• In Event: The Sources and Consequences of Prison Violence, Part 1

Abstract

Incarcerated persons who experience violence—as perpetrators, victims, or both—can face a range of consequences related to wellbeing, safety, and conditions of confinement. The literature on individuals’ experiences with prison violence is limited, however. As such, the current research draws on data from semi-structured interviews with men involved in known physical assaults or fights in 2021 to gain deeper insight into how violence shapes and impacts their incarceration. Findings will highlight the ways in which experiences with violence affect men’s social status in prison, how they do their time, as well as their stress and coping responses associated with violence.

Authors

• Melinda Tasca, University of Texas at El Paso

• Nancy Rodriguez, University of California, Irvine