ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the importance of taking into account a range of influences if an adequate explanation of bullying is to be provided. It focuses on the environmental characteristics of prisons and how this is mediated by individual prisoner characteristics. The links to two variables that may help explain bullying in prison that individual characteristics like prisoners bring with them to the prison environment that influence their behaviour and the role played by supervision such as more and more individuals are housed together the less supervision each will receive. The social environment in a prison is governed largely by the prisoner subculture and the unwritten rules dictated by it. Researchers addressing assaults among prisoners have also found an inverse link between constructive activities and violence. Ireland and Archer found that the majority of prisoners reported that being unable to look after ourself in a prison was one reason why a prisoner may get bullied.
