Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Types and Sources of Victimization Inside Prison

Prison populations disproportionately represent people of color, reflecting broader correlations between crime, poverty, and racial demographics that have profound consequences for communities and families. This comprehensive research by Nancy Wolff, Jing Shi, and Cynthia L. Blitz examines how this demographic reality affects victimization patterns within correctional facilities, exploring whether racial and ethnic disparities in prison violence stem from systematic racism or other factors. The study surveyed 6,964 male inmates across 12 adult facilities in a single state prison system, analyzing victimization rates by racial and ethnic groupings (non-Hispanic White, African American, and Hispanic) and by perpetrator type (inmates versus staff members). The research measured three forms of victimization: sexual violence, physical violence, and property crime, using audio computer-assisted survey technology to ensure reliable reporting of sensitive experiences.

The findings reveal complex patterns that defy simple explanations of racially motivated violence. African Americans were less likely to report victimization by other inmates but more likely to report victimization by staff members, while non-Hispanic Whites showed the opposite pattern, identifying inmates more than staff as perpetrators of violence against them. Hispanic inmates experienced above-average rates of staff-on-inmate victimization and also had elevated rates of inmate-on-inmate victimization. However, when all types of victimization were combined, overall rates were roughly equivalent across racial groups (37.8% for non-Hispanic Whites, 37.3% for African Americans, and 41.5% for Hispanics over a six-month period), suggesting that total exposure to violence is similar regardless of race or ethnicity.

Significantly, the study found that victims generally did not attribute their victimization primarily to racial motivations, except among non-Hispanic White victims who were more likely to identify race as a factor in attacks against them. When asked about characteristics that make inmates targets for violence, respondents across all racial groups identified behavioral factors (such as being a "snitch," stealing, or not paying debts) and personal characteristics (being perceived as weak, homosexual, or having committed offenses against children) rather than racial identity. The research suggests that while racial and ethnic disparities in victimization clearly exist within prison systems, these patterns appear to be more closely related to institutional dynamics, individual vulnerabilities, and behavioral factors than to systematic racial targeting. The study concludes that preventing prison violence requires addressing opportunity structures for victimization and training staff to maintain harm-free environments, rather than focusing solely on racial tensions as the primary driver of prison violence.