Poly-Victimization Risk in Prison: The Influence of Individual and Institutional Factors

Victimization research suggests that individuals who either witness or are direct victims of violence are substantially more likely to experience long-term negative outcomes. Although recent studies identifying factors associated with prison victimization are emerging, the risk factors predicting inmate’s experience of multiple types of victimization, called poly-victimization, remain unknown. Utilizing a lifestyles model that incorporates the importation/deprivation framework, the current study examines whether certain features of the prison environment or individual characteristics predict who is most likely to experience victimization. Data from more than 1,600 recently released inmates confirm that the environmental and individual-level factors are related to poly-victimization in prison. The findings from the study have implications for policy and practice.