Preventing Prison Violence: An Ecological Perspective

Preventing Prison Violence adopts an ecological approach to understanding prison violence, recognizing that it is a product of human, environment, systemic, and societal influences. It expands beyond the conventional individual-focused approach to research in this field, incorporating psychology, geography, indigenous knowledge, gang culture, and predictive modeling to develop a holistic and ecological way of thinking that recognizes individual, organizational, and cultural factors, as well as the role of the physical environment in the facilitation and prohibition of aggression.

Format: Hardback
Length: 234 pages
Publication date: 08 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Preventing Prison Violence presents a novel perspective on prison violence, proposing the concept of 'prison ecologies' to understand its origins as a product of human, environment (social and physical), systemic, and societal influences. This ecological approach offers valuable insights into prevention efforts. Interpersonal violence is a global concern, resulting in numerous deaths worldwide. In prisons, the human, financial, and health toll of violence poses a significant social issue and a complex "wicked problem" that defies simplistic solutions. Recent advancements in data collection have enabled researchers to explore previously unanswered questions about violence, gang affiliations, and prisons.

The central theme of this book is that prisons are ecosystems, where people, resources, and the built environment interact. Violence emerges as a result of a complex interplay of interpersonal and environmental factors that enhance the likelihood of assault while also presenting opportunities for solutions. Drawing from psychology, geography, indigenous knowledge, gang culture, and predictive modeling, this book expands beyond the traditional individual-focused assessment-intervention-prevention approach to research in this field. It adopts a holistic and ecological mindset that recognizes the individual, organizational, cultural, and physical environment's roles in facilitating and prohibiting aggression.

This comprehensive resource is designed to assist those interested in making prisons safer. It is firmly grounded in contemporary research and theory, making it of immense interest to students and scholars of Penology, Violence and Forensic Psychology, as well as professionals working in the field of criminal justice. By adopting an ecological perspective, Preventing Prison Violence contributes to a deeper understanding of prison violence and offers practical strategies for its prevention and mitigation.

Weight: 620g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032224022