Many of us, if a close relative were found guilty of one of these crimes, would think he should pay for his offense by losing his freedom for a long while. But few of us would agree he deserves to be beaten, stabbed, sodomized, and infected with AIDS, which is what prison often means. If a judge were to give a convict a sentence like that, it would be ruled cruel and unusual punishment. Lockyer might not have the stomach to actually watch one of the encounters that he finds so amusing. One inmate interviewed by Human Rights Watch for its recent report had complained to guards after being raped.
Many inmates simply submit rather than risk being stomped to a pulp.
Atrocities like this happen all the time, mainly because hardly anyone minds. Authorities have no great incentive to take the problem seriously, because they generally can't be held liable for attacks. In overcrowded, understaffed facilities, prevention may be impossible. Prosecutors, meanwhile, see no need to seek punishment. Treating prison rape like the crime it is would deter some attacks.