Justice Department studies suggest that more than 60,000 prisoners report sexual assaults each year. Another study found that 12 percent of juveniles in custody fall victim to rape. Too often, guards are the ones committing the crimes. Yet the Justice Department is likely to miss a deadline this month for issuing standards to help fix the problem, reports National Public Radio.
The proposals on the table are nuts-and-bolts measures – steps like not letting male guards monitor women in the showers; keeping younger, smaller prisoners away from bullies; and providing better training for staff. Activists plan to highlight the issues at hearings this week in Washington that focus on sexual abuse at juvenile facilities. A Justice Department spokeswoman says officials are working diligently