ABSTRACT
Given its impact, sociological and criminological scholarship has a long history examining sexual behavior within correctional settings. While often constructed as an ever-present issue, the cultural currents of sexual conduct in prisons remains both misunderstood and underexamined. When taking stock, such behavior has been seen as willful deviance, hierarchical gendered performance, a mechanism of coercive control, and a source of identity formation and of victimization. In efforts to better understand sexual conduct in prisons, this chapter first outlines early attempts to understand such behavior. Further, this chapter examines the nexus between sexual violence and victimization with special attention given to its prevalence, victim and offender characteristics, and prevention strategies. Finally, this chapter discusses the presence of coercive and consensual relationships within prison settings.
