Letter to the editor: Sexual assaults in prisons must be addressed in U.S.

When more than 60,500 inmates per year report that they have been victims of sexual assault in American prisons — that is 165 per day — it is time to address the problem of prison rape. In 2003, the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was passed by both houses of Congress. This January, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder released proposed rules to combat the problem of rape in our prisons in accordance to the PREA.

Sadly, Holder’s response is significantly weaker than the standards set forth by the National Rape Elimination Commission, a government-sponsored bipartisan commission to recommend standards, enhance detection, prevention, reduction and punishment of inmate sexual assault. Justice compels us to care. The number above includes a disproportionate number of juvenile inmates (2.9 of 1,000 adults to 16.8 per 1,000 juveniles), particularly girls.

The damage done to people when behind bars doesn’t stay there when they are released. Destructive after effects play out in ex-convicts’ lives which ultimately affect society, including sexually transmitted diseases, depression, suicide and further victimization. Rape should never be a part of any prison sentence. Contact Holder before April 4 and ask him to adopt the standards proposed by the commission.

Alison Grotberg

Sanborn, N.D.

Tags: opinion, letters, prison