New Prison Rules a Strong Step Forward

The federal government is doing the right thing in adopting new and stronger standards to address the problem of sexual abuse in jails, prisons and juvenile facilities. This is not the first time the government has tried to improve this situation, but the recent adoption of stronger rules is a needed step in the right direction. By adopting national standards to help strengthen the goals of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, the U.S. Department of Justice is focusing on prevention, detection and response to sexual abuse in adult prisons and jails, lockups, community confinement facilities and juvenile facilities.