Sex abuse 'a significant problem' in prisons

Washington Times ^ | Wednesday, May 4, 2005 | By Jerry Seper

[JohnHuang2]

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The sexual abuse of federal inmates by U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) personnel is a significant problem, and the laws that criminalize sex inside America's prisons -- including consensual acts -- are deficient, a government report says. The Justice Department's Office of Inspector General, in a report this week, said an investigation found that accusations involving the sexual abuse of inmates by BOP personnel, including both men and women, accounted annually for 12 percent of its investigative caseload -- with 90 new cases a year.

[D-fendr]

Ahh, just in time for May sweeps...

[Recovering_Democrat]

In other news, sun rises in the east.

[Caipirabob]

Sorry, I was dying to use this graphic.

[Caipirabob]

It is illegal for a federal prison employee to have sex with an inmate, even if it is consensual, but the federal government treats most cases as a misdemeanor -- unless the inmate was forced or threatened. Most states consider any sexual relationship with an inmate a felony.

You just know there is a group of people out there reading this article, skipping over the personals and trying to figure out what in states this is only a midemeanor.