08-25-2006, 10:30 PM
Quote:How's this for an idea: anyone committing assault on another person in prison -- sexual assault and battery is a serious offense, as is rape -- gets put in solitary for a year. Please note that everytime someone rapes a woman or man out in the regular world, and is caught at it, the sentences are pretty severe. How about we apply that same standard to inmates?
Sounds great. Now vote in the legislation to increase taxes to pay for new solitary confinement rooms/facilities. Don't forget to include the increase in staff, as well as local legislations to increase the size of jails into surrounding areas.
Granted, this could happen in certain places where the voting populous cares enough to make a change. But the problem is that most people don't believe in making this change. The high frequency of rape cases in jails have been known for a long time, and have somehow morphed in the public eye from being "a crime" to being "something they deserve." Anal rape is accepted by society as usual practice in prisons. Its by no means a small majority that believes this is part of being in jail, that everyone there is a bad guy, and this kind of behavior - while in itself very bad - is deserved punishment for inmates.
For this exact reason I doubt very much any legislation will pass in the foreseeable future.
The mentality that prevails is simply, stay out of jail or you're f*cked - no pun intended.
Cheers,
Munk