Perceptions of Personal Safety and Correctional Practices

• In Event: Issues in Prison Culture and Policy: Research from the Prison Research & Innovation Initiative

Abstract

One of the main functions of prison is to increase safety for the community. But how safe do the people inside feel? To address this question, this study uses quantitative survey data on several batteries of attitudinal questions collected at five state prisons located across the United States by local researchers and supplemented by qualitative data from process evaluation interviews conducted by the Urban Institute. This paper will discuss correctional staff and incarcerated people’s perceptions of the safety of their environment; whether these perceptions changed from 2021 to 2022; whether trends arise across various demographic characteristics, including race and gender; and what these perceptions suggest about potential opportunities for reform. These data were collected as part of the Prison Research and Innovation Initiative (PRII), supported by Arnold Ventures – a six-year effort to leverage research and evidence to shine a much-needed light on prison conditions and pilot strategies to promote the well-being of people who are confined and work behind bars.

Authors

• Alice Galley, Urban Institute

• Paige Remington, Urban Institute