Prison social hierarchy refers to the social status of prisoners within a correctional facility, and how that status is used to exert power over other inmates. A prisoner's place in the hierarchy is determined by a wide array of factors including previous crimes, access to contraband, affiliation with prison gangs, and physical or sexual domination of other prisoners. [1] [2] [3] [4] People convicted of sex crimes, including child sexual abuse, are considered low in the hierarchy and are often the victims of extreme violence in prisons. [5] [1]
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