Prison Rape Elimination Act & the High Rate of Sexual Assault in Texas Prisons
In 2003, Congress passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), which took new action against jail sexual assault and mandated the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to survey imamates about sexual assault. The BJS surveys have shown that Texas has one of the highest rates of prisoner sexual assaults. Five of the ten prisons with the highest rates of inmate-on-inmate victimization are in Texas. Despite the findings of this survey, Texas has continuously failed to address the rampant sexual assaults in its jails.
The isolated nature of prisons has made it easy for prison officials to ignore and deny sexual assault in their jails. These officials are often responsible for investigations of sexual assault, and without oversight, they will often choose to ignore the problem. It comes as no surprise that states with low oversight, like Texas, have higher rates of sexual assault in their prisons.
Despite almost two decades of efforts from the Department of Justice and PREA, the Texas prison sexual assault rate remains high. Texas has claimed that PREA standards have been implemented but reports from prisoners tell a different story. Texas imamates have continued to suffer from sexual assault, and Texas and its prison officials have shown little intent to address the issue. PREA promised protection from sexual assault to inmates, but Texas has continued to refuse to bring that promise to its inmates.
If you or a loved one have been sexually assaulted in jail, contact the Law Offices
of Don Tittle, PLLC today at (214) 522-8400 or complete our online contact form.
The content of this blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.
Don Tittle
Attorney & Founder
For 35 years, Don Tittle has achieved high-profile, decisive victories in Texas courts, excelling in criminal defense, civil rights litigation, and complex wrongful death and personal injury cases. His law practice now frequently focuses (often concentrates) on cases of abuse and neglect by private jail companies, fighting for justice on behalf of vulnerable individuals.
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