Measuring Views of Prison Climate According to Incarcerated People and Correctional Staff Across Three Survey Waves

• In Event: National Findings from the Prison Research and Innovation Initiative

Abstract

Prison climates are historically closed environments and while people who are incarcerated and working in these environments are well aware of these issues, there have been limited efforts to systematically document their perceptions via research instruments, and measure changes in perceptions over time. Local research partners in five states (Colorado, Delaware, Iowa, Missouri, and Vermont) used participatory research approaches to design and conduct climate surveys with incarcerated people and correctional staff in five state prisons. The Urban Institute, as the national coordinator, requested that every local research partner include a series of cross-site questions in their climate survey that could be used to draw conclusions about prison climate and changes in them across the five sites. This paper presents findings on cross-site questions asked to incarcerated people and correctional staff by local research partners in five states and across three climate survey waves, including questions about prison conditions and environment, the purpose of prison, correctional staff and practices, and prison activities.

Authors

• Evelyn F. McCoy, Urban Institute

• Sam Tecotzky, Urban Institute