ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights some of the problems in applying school-based definitions of bullying to a prison setting, and argued for a broader more prison-specific and behavioural definition, one that takes into account a range of both direct and indirect aggressive behaviours. Researchers have used a range of methods to investigate bullying, each of which has its own problems. The measures used to research bullying among prisoners have varied depending on the aims and purpose of the research. Prisoner self-reports represent the most common method used to measure bullying. Behavioural checklists represent the only method that avoids both providing a definition of bullying to prisoners and also using the term itself. Peer reports primarily refer to using other members of the peer group to nominate individuals whom they consider to be bullies. Official records have been used to a lesser extent than the other methods and have included an analysis of prison discipline and bullying incident reports.
