Feelings of Safety Inside Prison Among Male Inmates With Different Victimization Experiences

Correctional facilities have a responsibility to take “reasonable measures” to preserve and protect inmate safety. The extent to which people inside prison feel safe from victimization is explored using a sample of approximately 7,000 adult male inmates housed in 13 prisons. The majority of male inmates reported no victimization in the past 6 months and that they felt safe, especially from sexual abuse and assault. Levels of feeling safe diminished for inmates who experienced victimization. Inmate perceptions of safety varied between facilities. Variation in perceptions of safety among harmful situations and between facilities provides useful information about inmate safety and ways to improve it (n = 104).