Prison Rape Reduction Act would merely hide the problem

Editors, Asheville Global Report,

An unlikely coalition of Senators, Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL), and Representatives, Frank Wolf (R-VA) and Bobby Scott (D-VA), simultaneously introduced in the Senate and the House the Prison Rape Reduction Act of 2002. The Act proposes to take action at the government level by creating three programs within the US Justice Department.

One [program] would collect statistics on the frequency of rape in prison, although most rapes in prison are never reported. Nor do officials encourage prison rapes to be reported, for the very occurrence indicates negligent security.

A second program ostensibly would provide a way for prisoners to confidentially report rape when it occurs, without the fear of becoming a “snitch.” As a convict, what can I say but HA HA HA!

The third program will issue grants to state and local governments to enhance education about prison rape and reward those prisons that succeed in preventative measures. Attention, class: if we sweep the rapes even further under the rug, we can get paid for it. The Act also creates a commission to examine the problem of prison rape in America at large.

Gerald Niles, 122280
Century Correctional Institute
Century, Florida