U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 Prison Rape: Research Explores Prevalence, Prevention
NCJ Number
              221505

Author(s)
          Pat Kaufman
Date Published

March 2008
Length
              6 pages
Publication Series
          NIJ Journal
Annotation
              This article reports on prison rape research funded by the U.S. Justice Department's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) under the provisions of the Federal Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA), which includes mandates intended to increase the data and information on the incidence of prison rape in order to improve efforts to prevent sexual violence in correctional facilities.
Abstract
              A study of sexual violence in the Texas prison system found that between 2002 and 2005, White inmates were attacked more than inmates of any other race; victims were generally younger than their assailants; mentally ill or intellectually impaired inmates were more likely to be victimized; and cell blocks with solid cell fronts might contribute to inmate sexual assaults. Another study conducted a sociocultural analysis of prison sexual violence in both men's and women's high-security prisons across the United States. It found that the inmate culture has a complex system of norms on sexual conduct, such that an act of sexual violence in one context may be interpreted differently in another context, depending on the preassault behavior of the victim and assailant, as well as other inmates' perceptions of the causes of the sexual violence. The study also found that inmates "self-police" against unwanted sexual predators and maintain protective relationships designed to prevent physical and sexual abuse. Such protective networks have emerged under inmates' view that prison rape is detrimental to the inmate social order. A third wide-ranging study provides a national "snapshot" of U.S. Department of Corrections initiatives for addressing prison sexual violence, identifying practices that are promising or innovative. Among the promising practices are State mandates to train all staff on inappropriate sexual conduct and sexual violence and provide inmate education on reporting-mechanisms and services for sexual assault victims. 16 notes
      
  
          Additional Details
Agencies
        NIJ


  
  
        
  Award
        ASSESSMENT OF PRISONER AND MANAGEMENT RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN THE TEXAS PRISON SYSTEMNational Institute of JusticeCallendar Year Audit Period
                                An Ethno-Methodological Study of the Subculture of Prison Inmate Sexuality
                                Addressing Prison Sexual Violence
    
  
  
Date Published: March 1, 2008
    
          Downloads
        
                      PDF
                  HTML

Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Rape and sexual assault
        Prisons
        Correctional facilities
        Sexual assault victims
        Adult correctional facilities



  
Similar Publications
        
                      Survivors' Advice to Service Providers How to Best Serve Survivors of Sexual Assault
                  The Adam Walsh Act: An Examination of Sex Offender Risk Classification Systems.
                  Racial Politics in the Contemporary Prison Society: The Importance of Race and Ethnicity to Prison Social Organization
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov