NCJ Number
65294
Date Published
1979
Length
179 pages
Annotation
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON VICTIMS OF PRISON SEXUAL THREATS AND ATTACKS IS DISCUSSED, AS ARE PATTERNS OF VICTIM SELECTION, 'TARGET' VIOLENCE, AND STAFF HANDLING OF THE PROBLEM.
Abstract
THE STUDY IS LIMITED TO SEXUAL BEHAVIOR PERCEIVED AS THREATENING AND OFFENSIVE BY TARGETS OF AGGRESSORS. FROM OCTOBER 1974 TO SEPTEMBER 1975, A TOTAL OF 107 'TARGETS' WERE INTERVIEWED IN THE NEW YORK STATE PRISONS OF ATTICA, AUBURN, AND COXSACKIE. ALTHOUGH INTERVIEWS WERE OPEN ENDED, THEY DEALT WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF RECENT SEXUAL OVERTURES, THE PHYSICAL AND VERBAL RESPONSE OF THE PERSON RECEIVING THE OVERTURE, THE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS OF THE TARGET, LIVING PATTERNS RESULTING FROM SEXUAL PRESSURE, AND PEER AND STAFF RELATIONS. THEY ALSO ADDRESSED INMATES' IDEAS ABOUT SOLUTIONS TO THEIR PROBLEMS AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF SEXUAL PRESSURE TO OTHER PROBLEMS. A 'NONTARGET' CONTROL GROUP WAS SELECTED, MADE UP OF 4 PERCENT OF THE POPULATIONS OF ATTICA, AN ADULT PRISON, AND COXSACKIE, A YOUTH PRISON. AGGRESSORS WERE MOST OFTEN YOUNG BLACKS. VICTIMS WERE WHITES WHO HAD A GENERALLY SLIGHTER BUILD THAN AGGRESSORS AND NONTARGETS AND WHO WERE PERCEIVED AS HAVING FEMININE PHYSICAL AND PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS. ABOUT HALF OF 152 INCIDENTS EXAMINED INVOLVED PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, WITH THOSE INITIATING THE VIOLENCE DIVIDED EVENLY IN NUMBER BETWEEN AGGRESSORS AND TARGETS. BOTH THE PRISON AND THE OUTSIDE SUBCULTURES FROM WHICH THE TARGETS AND AGGRESSORS CAME TENDED TO ADVOCATE VIOLENCE AS A PRIMARY MEANS OF RELIEVING FRUSTRATION AND IRRITATION. BECAUSE VICTIMIZATION TENDS TO STIMULATE FEAR AND PATTERNS OF ISOLATION AND SUSPICION, VICTIMS CONTINUED TO BE AFFECTED EMOTIONALLY MONTHS AFTER THE EVENT. PRISON STAFF DID NOT USUALLY INTERVENE DIRECTLY IN THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN AGGRESSORS AND THEIR TARGETS. FURTHER, THERE IS LITTLE INDICATION THAT SUCH INTERVENTION WOULD BE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THE PROBLEM. THE PROGRAM ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON VIOLENCE, WHERE SKILLED TRAINERS TEACH CONFLICT RESOLUTION WITHOUT VIOLENCE, IS ONE INNOVATION THAT OFFERS SOME HOPE FOR ALTERING THE PATTERN OF PRISON SEXUAL VIOLENCE. A MORE LONG-TERM SOLUTION, HOWEVER, MUST BE LINKED WITH THE ALTERATION OF TRADITIONAL MALE ATTITUDES TOWARDS FEMALES IN DEALING WITH THE GENERAL PROBLEM OF SEXUAL AGGRESSION IN SOCIETY. REFERENCES AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)