By: Amanda Hildreth

There are currently 2.3 million people in the United States prison system, the highest number of any country in the world. Physical and Sexual Abuse by inmates and prison staff occurs frequently. It can have lasting effects on Victims, increasing the rate of recurring crimes, mental health issues, and psychological and physical effects (The Legal Examiner, 2022). 

In some cases, inmates are abused for years. They may not speak up due to threats made by their abuser, the fear of further abuse, or the fear of confinement or loss of privileges (The Legal Examiner, 2022). 

Who Abuses Inmates?

Prisons are often shown in the media as violent and unsafe due to aggressive and dangerous inmates. While Physical and Sexual Abuse among inmates occurs worldwide, prison staff are also responsible for inmate abuse (The Legal Examiner, 2022).

A study of 7,000 inmates in 12 state prisons found that 21% of Physical Abuse cases were perpetrated by staff and 19% by other inmates. (The Legal Examiner, 2022). 

When prison staff abuse inmates, the abuse of power leads to extensive problems in the prison system. Whether officials at the prison ignore violence among inmates and staff, threaten Victims who attempt to report abuse, or demean those experiencing abuse, negative impacts on prison safety, culture, and the rehabilitation process often occur (The Legal Examiner, 2022). 

What Inmates Are At Risk For Abuse?

Those abused in prisons include a variety of genders, races, and ages, however, certain groups of inmates are at a higher risk of experiencing Physical or Sexual Abuse. 

Women experience higher overall rates of Sexual Abuse within prisons. Rates of inmate-on-inmate Sexual Abuse were four times higher for women than men (Wolff, Blitz, Shi, Bachman & Siegel, 2006).

The United States Department of Justice found that 68.6% of Sexual Abuse in prisons occurred at the hands of correctional officers, often in program service areas such as storage areas, commissaries, or a kitchen. They also found that inmates of private prisons are only half as likely to experience Sexual Abuse by other inmates as those who are incarcerated in public prisons (Beck, Rantala & Rexroat, 2014). 

Transgender individuals are also targeted by prison staff and inmates. They are often mocked, denied rights, and experience increased instances of Sexual Abuse (The Legal Examiner, 2022). Advocates for Trans Equality found that transgender individuals in prisons are ten times more likely to experience Sexual Abuse at the hands of other inmates and five times more likely to experience abuse at the hands of prison staff than non-transgender individuals. Transgender individuals often experience additional challenges in prison including long stays in solitary confinement and the denial of medical care (A4TE., 2024). 

Inmates with disabilities often experience higher rates of Physical and Emotional Abuse in prisons. Inmates with disabilities are four times more likely than those without to experience abuse (Harrell, 2021).

While cognitive disabilities including Down syndrome, autism, and learning disorders affect one-fourth of inmates, visual, hearing and ambulatory disabilities are common and individuals with these disabilities are often overlooked. Around 40% of state-imprisoned inmates have a disability with 50% of women in state prisons being disabled. Those at the highest risk of abuse are individuals with intellectual disabilities (Rubac, 2024).

What Type of Abuses Do Inmates Experience?

The most common type of abuse experienced by inmates is Physical Abuse. Violence in prison refers to acts resulting in the injury of a person within the prison and is prevalent among male and female inmate populations. It is estimated that 20% of inmates experience violence while incarcerated and around 8% of deaths that occur in prisons can be attributed to Physical Abuse and violence (DeCooman, 2023).

In addition to the horrors of physical and sexual abuse, inmates endure food deprivation, solitary confinement, unsanitary conditions, and a denial of essential medical care.

Food deprivation, solitary confinement, and unsanitary conditions can incentivize inmates to work harder or engage in sexual acts to improve their circumstances.  The desire for stable food and conditions is a basic human need and prison systems often exploit this desire. Inmates are often forced to perform transactions with staff members including trading work or sexual favors for extra food or better conditions (Simmons, 2024).

A recent report based on government data found that around 6% of the United States prison population had experienced solitary confinement. This practice is most commonly used for people ages 26 to 35 and is associated with an increased risk of self-harm, negative post-release outcomes, and long-lasting psychological harm (Ortiz, 2023).

What Can We Do to Prevent Abuse in Prisons?

To prevent abuse in prisons there are several key strategies that we must take. 

Key strategies include (Dholakia, 2023, La Vigne, Debus- Sherrill, Brazzell & Downey, 2011):

• Thorough staff training and vetting
• Independent investigations
• Proper use of force policies that enforce accountability
• Increased monitoring through the use of cameras
• Addressing the issue of prison overcrowding
• Providing proper mental health services for inmates and staff
• Providing inmates with access to legal help
• Fostering a culture of reporting abuse without fear of retaliation
• Working toward reducing the overall prison population through policy changes and alternative sentencing

Specific actions that can be taken involve (Dholakia, 2023, La Vigne, Debus- Sherrill, Brazzell & Downey, 2011, Kiriakou, 2024, Dallao, 1996):

• Comprehensive staff training on de-escalation techniques, proper use of force, and conflict resolution
• Background checks of staff
• Regular refresher courses on prison policy
• Utilizing independent inspector general offices to investigate abuse allegations
• Completing thorough investigations of abuse complaints including interviews of witnesses
• Taking disciplinary action against staff who are found to have engaged in abuse
• Employing extensive camera systems in cell blocks and common areas
• Regular monitoring of camera systems by staff, including unannounced checks
• Providing adequate access to basic needs for inmates such as hygiene products, food, and medical care
• Provide inmates with easy access to legal representation and procedures to report abuse
• Provide safe spaces for inmates to report abuse without the fear of retaliation
• Provide accessible mental health assessments and treatments for inmates
• Train staff to identify and respond to the mental health crisis of an inmate
• Provide educational and vocational programs that prepare inmates to reintegrate into society
• Provide positive reinforcement for positive behavior among inmates
• Prioritize respect for inmates and actively discourage abuse

When we take these actions in our prisons we can ensure that inmates are properly taken care of and that they feel seen and heard, which will encourage them to report abuse and prevent future abuse.

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Sources

The Legal Examiner. (2022, August 5). Inmate abuse in U.S. prison facilities. The Legal Examiner. https://www.legalexaminer.com/category/legal/inmate-abuse/ 

Wolff, N., Blitz, C. L., Shi, J., Bachman, R., & Siegel, J. A. (2006, September). Sexual violence inside prisons: Rates of victimization. Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2438589/ 

Beck, A. J., Rantala, R. R., & Rexroat, J. (2014, January). Sexual victimization reported by adult correctional Authorities, 2009–11. U.S. Department of Justice. https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/svraca0911.pdf 

Police, Jails & Prisons. A4TE. (2024). https://transequality.org/issues/police-jails-prisons 

Harrell, E. (2021, November). Crime against persons with disabilities, 2009–2019 – statistical tables. Bureau of Justice Statistics. https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/crime-against-persons-disabilities-2009-2019-statistical-tables 

Rubac, G. (2024, March 19). People with disabilities suffer extreme abuse by the prison-industrial complex. Workers World. https://www.workers.org/2024/03/77556/ 

DeCooman, D. (2023, November 21). Prison Violence | Types, Causes & Statistics. Study.com. https://study.com/academy/lesson/prison-violence-types-causes-statistics.html 

Simmons, C. J. (2024b, January 30). Food insecurity in prison makes people like me vulnerable to Labor Exploitation. Truthout. https://truthout.org/articles/food-insecurity-in-prison-makes-people-like-me-vulnerable-to-labor-exploitation/ 

Ortiz, E. (2023, May 23). How many people are held in solitary confinement in U.S. prisons and jails? now there’s a number. NBCNews.com. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-report-reveals-122k-are-held-solitary-confinement-us-prisons-jails-rcna84840 

Dholakia, N. (2023, October 18). Prisons and jails are violent; they don’t have to be. Vera Institute of Justice. https://www.vera.org/news/prisons-and-jails-are-violent-they-dont-have-to-be 

La Vigne, N. G., Debus- Sherrill, S., Brazzell, D., & Downey, P. M. (2011, December). Preventing violence and sexual assault in jail – urban institute. Preventing Violence and sexual Assault in Jail: A situational Crime Prevention Approach. https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/26746/412458-Preventing-Violence-and-Sexual-Assault-in-Jail-A-situational-Crime-Prevention-Approach.PDF 

Kiriakou, J. (2024, July 17). How to stop the endemic problem of prisoner abuse in Federal Prisons. Institute for Policy Studies. https://ips-dc.org/stop-endemic-problem-prisoner-abuse-federal-prisons/ 

Dallao, M. (1996). NCJRS Virtual Library. Fighting Prison Rape: How to Make Your Facility Safer | Office of Justice Programs. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/fighting-prison-rape-how-make-your-facility-safer