Profile of Violent Behaviour by Inmates in NSW Correctional Centres

Inmates who display violent behaviour present significant management and security demands on correctional centres in NSW and pose a potential risk of harm to other inmates, correctional staff and to the general community. The current bulletin provides a preliminary snapshot of the number of sentenced inmates in NSW correctional centres who have displayed violent behaviour and profiles the demographic and criminogenic characteristics of these inmates. It was found that more than half of all inmates serving a sentence of full-time custody on 20 March 2005 are currently convicted of a violent offence or have displayed violent behaviour whilst in custody. Although the majority of these inmates are male, over a third of the sentenced female inmate population are also incarcerated for a violent offence or institutional violence. The most common offence types for which the profiled inmates are serving a sentence of fulltime custody were assault related offences and a quarter of the profiled inmates have violently breached correction centre regulations during their current sentencing period. Potential implications for the management and rehabilitation of inmates with violent offences are discussed with reference to identified gender differences in the pattern of violence. Jennifer Galouzis, Research Officer NSW Department of Corrective Services Corporate Research, Evaluation and Statistics