Predicting Physical Violence Against Corrections Officers Across Three Levels of Severity Using Individual and...

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Corrections Science
• Occupational Safety

Background:

• Corrections officers face significant workplace violence risks.
• Understanding factors contributing to the severity of prisoner-on-staff violence is crucial for safety.
• Existing research lacks detailed analysis of incident characteristics and severity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine characteristics of physical assaults on corrections officers in New Zealand prisons.
• To identify predictors of violence severity using individual and environmental factors.
• To compare characteristics of prisoners who assault staff versus those who do not.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of physical assault incidents in New Zealand prisons (2016-2020).
• Focus on incidents where male prisoners assaulted corrections officers.
• Examination of three levels of violence severity based on perpetrator and environmental characteristics.

Main Results:

• Perpetrators of serious violence were more likely to be segregated at the time of the assault.
• Prisoners assaulting staff were younger, gang-affiliated, and had higher security classifications.
• Assaulting prisoners differed significantly from the general prison population.

Conclusions:

• Perpetrator characteristics, such as segregation status, influence violence severity.
• Prisoners who assault staff exhibit distinct demographic and security profile differences.
• Findings enhance understanding of prisoner violence dynamics and inform safety protocols.