Citation

Power KG, Dyson GP, Wozniak E. J. Community Appl. Soc. Psychol. 1997; 7(3): 209-218.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Questionnaires were distributed to inmates in all Scottish Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) in an attempt to ascertain the nature and extent of bullying. From a total of 756 distributed, 707 were returned completed, indicating a response rate of 94%. Overall, 29% of inmates reported having been bullied during their current sentence. The most common method of bullying involved verbal threats and spreading untrue rumours. Inmates were self-identified in one of four categories, as either bully, bully and victim, neither bully nor victim, and victim. Self-reported bullies were shown to have spent a greater total amount of time in prison than self-identified victims. Self-reported victims were shown to be less likely to have a record for violent offences than other inmates. The main characteristic identified by inmates as predisposing towards being a bully was knowing a lot of inmates, while the main factor that predisposed toward being a victim was type of offence. Inmates who had spent a greater total amount of time in prison were more likely to be bullies, regardless of current prison location, prison regime, or whether currently on remand or serving a short- or long-term sentence. Results are discussed in relation to factors influencing bullying in YOIs.