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Loading...Right Wing Group: Protections To Prevent Prison Rape Are Too ‘Costly’ And ‘Heavy-Handed’
Written by Scott Keyes
A right-wing “think tank” released a report today criticizing the Obama administration’s new anti-prison rape protections as a “burden” that is too “costly” and “heavy-handed.”
This week, the Department of Justice published new standards addressing the epidemic of rape and sexual abuse in our nation’s prisons. The guidelines, which apply immediately to federal prisons and give financial incentives for states to comply, are a laudable, widely praised, and long overdue step in combating rape in the United States.
The American Action Forum, a Wall Street-funded group whose C(4) runs millions of dollars in attack ads against Democrats, responded by lambasting the move as too “costly” and “complicated.” From their report:
Analysis: Despite an admirable goal, this “landmark rule” imposes a costly, complicated regulatory framework on states currently battling recurring budget deficits, offers little assurance of success, and fails to explain this new burden to the states as required by the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act. [...]
Not only is success questionable at best, the DOJ’s own estimates illustrate the fiscal effects of such a heavy-handed approach.
The Weekly Standard echoed AAF’s response, bemoaning the cost of preventing people from being raped in prison. The total expected cost is less than 1 percent of the overall cost of our prison system and ultimately “end up saving money — for example, by avoiding the medical costs of injuries suffered by rape victims,” according to the New York Times.
Sexual assault in prisons is so prevalent that more men are raped in the United States than women. Actually doing something about that, however, is too “costly” a “burden” for conservatives.
This post was originally published by ThinkProgress.
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Read more: abuse, jail, prison, prison rape, rape
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+ add your ownOnly 54 (including me) have signed the petition calling for the prevention of prison rapes. All you posting good stuff here, please sign!
Maybe the T-Party scumbags and fundamental pseudo-christain hypcrites should be arrested for being a public nuisance and placed in custody without protection.
So RWNJ support prison rapes? That is good to know.
GOP this is no excuse to exclude it.
It's disgusting that anyone would even think such a thing; everyone deserves to be protected from violent crime. And even more disgusting is that men can't, or won't, control themselves.
And let's not forget the costs associated when many of these prisoners are eventually released into society more violent & screwed up than ever before. Rape is NEVER acceptable. Rape should be an offense the equivalent of murder- a capital offense, both inside & outside of prison.
We have to ask ourselves what psychological personality profile are drawn to police work or prison guard work.
Debra G. - A person is more likely to land in jail over a minor marijuana charge (even medical marijuana) and these are the people being beaten and raped. These aren't people who grew up "wrong", they never developed the skills to survive in prison. Violent offenders along with corrupt guards run the prisons. It's not a matter of getting your "just dues".
Answers: Decriminalize marijuana (it's much safer than alcohol). While you're at it, bring back industrial hemp, so our farmers can grow something worth growing.
Seperate violent offenders from the rest of the criminal population (or at least make them wear something that takes them down at the push of a button (they use tasers on 80 yr old women and peaceful protestors, this is a little better).
If a guard isn't doing his job and is caught, make sure he knows he'll go to the same prison section he worked in.
Put the cameras on the guards
Let those who want to be alone, have safe places they can go. There's no sense putting a defensless inmate with Randy the violent rapist. A wall doesn't cost so much compared to rape costs.
So really, end the war on drugs. You lost and probably intended to.
Make sentencing realistic and make it fit the crime situation (history of crime, etc.).
Jail is so criminals can pay for their crimes and change their ways etc. It's actually a place to go and learn to be a little colder and a much better criminal, so during their prison term, deal with the underlyi
Emily W. - I don't think most Americans wanted to be lied to and to enter into a preemptive war with a Iraq and it's heinous leader (the US helped set into power and arm to fight the Iranians for us).
I doubt most of us wanted terrorists trained here and sent around the world, to places like Cuba (remember the Cuban five). I really doubt many want known terrorists to have sanctuary here (living like most Americans only dream of living).
Do you realize how much money is spent on military and how many bases we have around the world on foreign soil (most who do not want our military there)?
The government is supposed to represent the people, but it doesn't do more than give a nod now and then when the public gets too angry.
It's sad and infuriating, but our government makes most of those decisions because of pressure from special interest and to further goals we are not privy to.
Whom do they answer to; themselves for the most part. You can even buy elections or borrow on debts called in to get ahead.
When I was very young they used to say in school how great the US is, because anyone can grow up to be president...hogwash. They have a minimum amount of money you have to have to even consider running an election (unless you don't want to actually win).
Of course now they're privatizing prisons and corporations will own them. Corporations who are held liable by law to do their best to make a profit for shareholders above all else. So they're g
Rape in prison is an issue that should be addressed. However, I have studied issues such as this in college and I know for a fact that its not the governments fault. THey lack funding because society has never supported money going towards prisoners or criminals.... People would rather the money go to help the humane society or the public schools systems than to protect prisoners..... Its sad but true.
Therefore, STOP BLAMING THE GOVERNMENT. The government is supposed to represent us, and the reason why they don't support these things is because he we don't want them to. We have more people getting mad at our countries leaders about animal welfare or obesity than we do about prisoner rights. With this public pressure, where do you think the government is going to place our countries money?????
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