U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) have introduced the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at addressing the widespread sexual harassment and assault of Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees by inmates.
“Last year, nearly half of surveyed Bureau of Prisons staff stated they had been sexually harassed or assaulted by an inmate. This statistic is appalling and unacceptable. No federal employee or law enforcement officer should have to fear for their safety when they show up to work, and the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act would be an important step forward in ending sexual abuse of prison staff who are simply trying to do their jobs,” said Senator Blackburn.
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“I remain focused on oversight of the Federal prison system and ending sexual abuse in prisons and jails, including the abuse of prison staff. Senator Blackburn and I are introducing this bipartisan bill to help end sexual abuse in Federal prisons,” said Senator Ossoff.
A February 2023 report from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) revealed that 40% of surveyed BOP staff—out of 7,000 respondents—reported being sexually harassed or assaulted by inmates.
At the United States Penitentiary Thomson (USP Thomson) in Illinois, over 300 incidents of inmate-on-staff sexual harassment were recorded in 2022, despite the facility housing only 875 inmates. These alarming figures, combined with staff testimonials, highlight the inadequacy of BOP’s current procedures for reporting and addressing inmate-on-staff sexual harassment and assault.
The Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act:
The Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act would require:
- The DOJ OIG to conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the prevalence and impact of sexual harassment and assault by federal inmates against BOP staff.
- The U.S. Attorney General to report the findings to Congress.
- The U.S. Attorney General to develop national standards for preventing, reducing, and punishing inmate-on-staff sexual harassment and assault.
Last week, Senators Blackburn and Ossoff sent a letter to BOP Director Colette Peters requesting information on reporting procedures, corrective methods, and staff support programs related to inmate-on-staff sexual misconduct. The legislation has also garnered support from Brandy Moore White, National President of the Council of Prison Locals 33, who expressed her backing in a letter.
This bipartisan effort is a critical step in addressing the safety concerns of federal prison employees and ensuring accountability within the system.
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