Congress’ Findings in Consideration of the Prison Rape Elimination Act Continued

Major public health problems in U.S. jails further undermined by jail rape are HIV and AIDS.

When they are released from incarceration, inmates who have been brutalized in acts of jail rape add to an increased threat of violence against the public.

There are increased levels of violence against inmates and staff due to jail rape.

The victims of sexual assaults in jails suffer severe psychological and physical effects that limit their ability to successfully integrate into the community and keep their jobs upon release from jail. Thus, they are more prone to end up homeless and/or require assistance from the government.

The high number of sexual assaults in jails involves actual and potential civil rights violations. The Supreme Court ruled back in 1994 that deliberately maintaining an attitude of indifference to the significant risk of sexual assault against inmates violates their rights under the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause found in the Eighth Amendment.

Learn more in Part 1 and Part 2 of this series. In the next segment, learn about how jail rape increases government costs and more.

Helping Texas jail detainees and their families with resources is one of the purposes of this website. There is no intention of suggesting that people or organizations have been involved in misdeeds.

–Guest Contributor