Prison Rape Reduction Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1707
Sponsor: Rep. Wolf, Frank R. [R-VA-10]
Introduced: 2003-04-09 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
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Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-09
text: Prison Rape Reduction Act of 2003 - Directs the Bureau of Justice Statistics to carry out an annual, comprehensive statistical review and analysis of the incidence and effects of prison rape. Establishes within the Bureau the Review Panel on Prison Rape. Directs the Panel to request the public testimony of Federal, State, and local officials who bear responsibility for the prevention, detection, and punishment of prison rape at specified entities. Provides for an increase in Federal funds for entities whose officials testify at a reasonably designated time.
Requires the Bureau to submit an annual report to Congress, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on its activities regarding prison rape.
Establishes within the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) a national clearinghouse for the provision of information and assistance regarding prison rape. Directs: (1) NIC to conduct periodic training and education programs; and (2) the Attorney General to make grants to prevent prison rape, investigate such instances, and punish the perpetrators.
Establishes the National Prison Rape Reduction Commission to: (1) study the impact of prison rape on Federal, State, and local governments and communities and social institutions; and (2) report recommended national standards for enhancing the detection, prevention, reduction, and punishment of prison rape.
Directs: (1) the Attorney General to publish a notice of proposed rule-making for the adoption of national standards; and (2) the Secretary to complete a review of model programs and protocols for the response to and treatment of acute trauma for rape victims within prisons and jails.
action_date: 2003-07-18
text: 
Prison Rape Reduction Act of 2003 - (Sec. 4) Directs the Bureau of Justice Statistics to carry out, annually, a comprehensive statistical review and analysis of the incidence and effects of prison rape. Requires: (1) the review and analysis to be based on a sample of not less than ten percent of all Federal, State, and county prisons, and a representative sample of municipal prisons, that includes at least one prison from each State; and (2) Federal, State, or local officials or facility administrators that receive a request from the Bureau to participate in the national survey and provide access to any inmates under their legal custody. 
 
 Establishes within the Department of Justice the Review Panel on Prison Rape to carry out, for each calendar year, public hearings concerning the operation of the three prisons with the highest incidence of prison rape and the two prisons with the lowest incidence in each category of facilities identified. Declares that the purpose of these hearings shall be to collect evidence to aid in the identification of common characteristics of: (1) victims and perpetrators of prison rape; (2) prisons and prison systems with a high incidence of prison rape; and and (3) prisons and prison systems that appear to have been successful in deterring prison rape. 
 
Requires the Attorney General to submit an annual report to Congress and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on Bureau and Panel activities regarding prison rape. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2004 through 2010. 
 
(Sec. 5) Establishes within the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) a national clearinghouse for the provision of information, assistance, and training to Federal, State, and local authorities for the prevention, investigation, and punishment of prison rape.
 
 (Sec. 6) Directs the Attorney General to make grants to to assist States in ensuring that budgetary circumstances do not compromise efforts to protect inmates and to safeguard the communities to which inmates return. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2004 through 2010, with a limitation. 
 
(Sec. 7) Establishes the National Prison Rape Reduction Commission to: (1) study the impact of prison rape on Federal, State, and local governments and on communities and social institutions; and (2) report recommended national standards for enhancing the detection, prevention, reduction, and punishment of prison rape. 
 
(Sec. 8) Directs the Attorney General, within one year after receiving such report, to publish a final rule adopting national standards. Provides for a five percent reduction of any amount of grant funds for prisons that a State would otherwise receive for a fiscal year, unless the chief executive of the State submits to the Attorney General: (1) a certification that the State has adopted, and is in full compliance with, the national standards; or (2) an assurance that not less than five percent of such amount shall be used only to enable the State to adopt and achieve full compliance with such standards, so as to ensure that such certification may be submitted in future years. Requires the Attorney General to publish an annual report listing each grantee that is not in compliance with the standards. 
 
(Sec. 9) Prohibits the receipt of Federal grants by penal facility accredication organizations that fail to adopt accreditation standards for the detection, prevention, reduction, and punishment of prison rape. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-07-18
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 121.
action_date: 2003-07-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 108-219.
action_date: 2003-07-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 108-219.
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2003-06-26
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1371-1372)
action_date: 2003-06-12
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2003-06-12
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2003-04-29
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2003-04-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E758)
action_date: 2003-04-09
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-04-09
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-09
text: Introduced in House