Sexual Victimization Reported by Adult Correctional Authorities, 2019–2020 – Statistical Tables 

July 2024

In 2020, correctional administrators reported 36,264 allegations of sexual victimization in prisons, jails, and other adult correctional facilities. This included allegations of inmate-on-inmate nonconsensual sexual acts, inmate-on-inmate abusive sexual contact, inmateon-inmate sexual harassment, staff-on-inmate sexual misconduct, and staff-on-inmate sexual harassment. 

Warden is ousted as FBI raids California women’s prison known as the ‘rape club’

March 12, 2024

FBI agents raided a federal women’s prison in California this week so plagued by sexual abuse that it was known among inmates and workers as the “rape club.” The action coincided with the ouster of the new warden from the federal correctional institution in Dublin. Warden Art Dulgov — just a few months into his tenure — and three other top managers were removed from their positions Monday by the federal Bureau of Prisons.

Changes in hiring process give Wyoming DOC edge over local law enforcement

February 29, 2024

Following recruiting challenges, the Wyoming Department of Corrections shortened its hiring process and reduced its physical requirements for correctional officers. It also raised the salaries for correctional officers. Weston County law enforcement officials have concerns about the changes. According to a news release issued by the WDOC in January, the number of full-time staff in correctional occupations has decreased by more than 10% since 2019. 

Juveniles Incarcerated in U.S. Adult Jails and Prisons, 2002–2021

June 15, 2023

Juveniles (persons age 17 or younger) arrested or convicted for a criminal offense may be housed in juvenile residential facilities or in adult jails and prisons, depending on state statute, judicial discretion, and federal law. This report details trends for juveniles who are held in adult facilities.

Readout of the First SAFER Team Visit to FCI Tallahassee

June 12, 2023

On Friday, June 9, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General (PADAG) Marshall Miller led a Sexual Abuse Facility Enhancement and Review (SAFER) team, comprised of representatives of multiple components of the Justice Department, in a visit and review at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Tallahassee. This is the first in a series of SAFER visits to women’s facilities throughout the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

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Substantiated Incidents of Sexual Victimization Reported by Juvenile Justice Authorities, 2013–2018

March 2023

During 2013–18, juvenile justice administrators reported 1,263 substantiated incidents of sexual victimization perpetrated by youth and 499 perpetrated by staff. In all, there were nearly three times as many incidents of abusive sexual contact (952) as nonconsensual sexual acts (312). Two-thirds of substantiated incidents of staff-onyouth sexual victimization involved sexual misconduct incidents and a third involved sexual harassment.

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New Data Show Prison Staff Are Rarely Held Accountable for Sexual Misconduct

February 3, 2023

Prison staff were fired in less than half of substantiated incidents of sexual misconduct between 2016 and 2018, and only faced legal consequences in 6 percent of cases. Prison and jail staff rarely face legal consequences for sexual assault, according to new data released by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). BJS released detailed data this week on more than 2,500 substantiated incidents of sexual assault in U.S. prisons and jails between 2016 and 2018. The data starkly show how federal, state, and local officials have ignored their constitutional duty to protect incarcerated people from sexual assault, despite federal laws intended to create zero-tolerance policies for prison rape.

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Adult Correctional Authorities Reported Over 2,600 Inmate-on-Inmate and 2,200 Staff-on-Inmate Substantiated Sexual Victimizations in 2016–2018

January 31, 2023

The Bureau of Justice Statistics is announcing the release of Substantiated Incidents of Sexual Victimization Reported by Adult Correctional Authorities, 2016–2018. For the 3-year aggregate period of 2016–18, adult correctional authorities reported 2,666 substantiated incidents of inmate sexual victimization by another inmate and 2,229 incidents by staff. Most (62% or 1,643) inmate-on-inmate incidents involved abusive sexual contact, whereas most (69% or 1,549) staff-on-inmate incidents involved staff sexual misconduct. Nearly all (99%) substantiated incidents during this period were reported by administrators of prisons or jail jurisdictions, and 1% were reported by other adult correctional facilities.

Substantiated Incidents of Sexual Victimization Reported by Adult Correctional Authorities, 2016–2018

January 31, 2023

This report describes substantiated incidents of inmate sexual victimization by another inmate or by staff. It presents data on the incidents of sexual victimization, such as location and time of day. It also provides characteristics of the victims and perpetrators of the victimization. The report details services provided to the victim and consequences for the perpetrator. In part, it fulfills BJS’s mandates under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA; P.L. 108–79).

Sexual Abuse of Female Inmates in Federal Prisons

December 13, 2022

In April 2022, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (“PSI” or “the Subcommittee”) launched a bipartisan  investigation into sexual abuse of female prisoners in custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”). The Subcommittee reviewed non-public BOP and whistleblower documents, and it conducted more than two dozen interviews with senior BOP leaders, whistleblowers, and survivors of sexual abuse.

Facility Characteristics of Sexual Victimization of Youth in Juvenile Facilities, 2018 – Statistical Tables

November 2022

In 2018, about 7.5% of youth in juvenile justice facilities housing only males reported any sexual victimization, as did 4.9% of youth in facilities housing only females and 6.3% in facilities housing both males and females. Youth in female-only facilities (3.3%) or mixedgender facilities (3.2%) reported youth-on-youth sexual victimization with force or coercion more than twice as often as youth in male-only facilities (1.4%) (figure 1). Youth in male-only facilities were more likely to report staff sexual misconduct (6.6%) than youth in female-only (2.6%) or mixed-gender (4.0%) facilities.