Situational Risk Factors for Violence in Prisons

• In Event: Violence and Misconduct in Carceral Institutions: Patterns, Risks, and Institutional Response

Abstract

Violence in correctional facilities is a significant concern for incarcerated people and correctional staff. Following the routine activities perspective, it is possible to disrupt crime by intervening with either the potential offender, victim, or the setting in which a crime could occur. Research has traditionally focused on controlling the potential offender’s behavior, but a handful of studies have explored situational aspects of correctional violence. This study attempts to identify common situational characteristics of violent incidents in prisons by employing data from the Minnesota Department of Corrections on violent incidents that occurred between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2024. Situational characteristics such as day of the week, time of day, location, weather, and suspected or confirmed substance use are examined, as well as characteristics of the incarcerated people involved in the incidents as either perpetrators or victims.

Author

• Susan McNeeley, Minnesota Department of Corrections