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New York Times editorial on combatting prison rape

By Douglas A. Berman

I am pleased to see that the New York Times has responded to the new important report on prison rape (details here) with this potent editorial.  Here are some highlights: Rape accompanied by savage violence has long been part of prison life. Congress finally confronted this horrendous problem by passing the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003. In addition to bringing attention to a long overlooked problem, the new law created a commission that has put forth a broad set of rape-prevention standards that deserve to become mandatory in correctional agencies throughout the country. The commission report, released earlier this week, should come as alarming news.  It suggests, for example, that rapes carried out by corrections officers and inmates are widespread, but the actual rates of rape vary widely from place to place...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on June 24, 2009 (boomark / email).