Inmate sexual assault: consent or coercion
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Authors
Washington, Niquelle M.
Issue Date
2011
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Forensic sciences
Alternative Title
Abstract
The sexual victimization of inmates occurs because of the relationships between prisoners and correctional staff. While some relationships are established through negotiations others are formed by control or dominance.
The discovery and documentation of these acts is compromised by “codes of silence” and staff attitudes.
The victimization subsequently results in psychological, emotional, physical and social consequences because of the lack of prevention strategies to identify perpetrators and segregate potential victims to ensure their safety.
Due to society essentially accepting violence and particularly brutal sexual violence as an inevitable consequence of incarcerating criminals, prison assault has become a cliché within mainstream Cait So accepted is assault as part of prison life that an outsider might conclude that on some basic, if unarticulated level, we think it an appropriate element of the punishment regimen. Perhaps we believe that allowing prisons to be places of horrific acts will serve as part of the utilitarian deterrent effect of criminal sentences. Or perhaps we recognize that prison rape and assault are an unavoidable byproduct of the rape and assault in society generally. so that our goal here is not utilitarian but retributive: that is, even though we cannot eliminate rape and assault, we can at least reallocate them. Thus, when we purport to incapacitate convicted criminals, what we are really doing is shifting the most "deserving" among us, the burden of victimization therefore the implementation of administrative policies and procedures and employee training is essential in identifying and deterring inmate sexual assault within the correctional system and upon release.