"Gladiator School": Prisons and Secondary Violence Exposure

• In Event: Health in Jails and Prisons: New Research Developments

Abstract

Incarcerated persons often have extensive histories of trauma exposure prior to coming to prison, which highlights the need for trauma informed services as a key component of correctional programming. The pre-existing vulnerabilities of incarcerated persons mean that any exposure to violence within prison walls can elevate risks for cumulative trauma exposure and inequalities over the life course, making prison-based violence exposure a critical area of study for criminologists. While the research has documented the occurrence of violence in prisons, we still
know little about the secondary (witnessed) victimization experiences of incarcerated persons and the range of violence that characterizes secondary victimization. By drawing on qualitative data gathered from 30 interviews with previously incarcerated men and women, we examine the extent of secondary violence exposure faced by these individuals. Findings show that secondary violence exposure was normatively experienced among this sample, and often took the form of non-weaponized assaults, weaponized assaults, multi perpetrator assaults, and homicide. The
results enhance the literature by outlining the overall severity of violence exposure that can occur inside prisons, even among those not directly victimized. This underscores the importance of including witnessed victimization in conceptualizations of prison-based violence and trauma
exposure.

Authors

• Meghan Novisky, Cleveland State University

• Robert L. Peralta, University of Akron