[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 23, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S6935]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



  (At the request of Mr. Reid, the following statement was ordered to 
be printed in the Record.)

                     PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION REPORT

 Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I commend the members of the 
National Prison Rape Elimination Commission for its excellent report 
and recommendations. Sadly, rape and sexual abuse have often been 
regarded as inevitable facts of life in prisons across the country. 
Until now, the Federal Government had never conducted a reliable study 
of the issue--even though more than 2 million men and women are now 
behind bars nationwide. The shocking reality is that 1 in 10 of those 2 
million will be victims of rape.
  At greatest risk are the 100,000 juvenile inmates, the 200,000 men 
and women held in immigration detention centers, and the many inmates 
suffering from mental illness. Juvenile facilities in particular are 
regularly the site of shocking physical and mental abuse, and juveniles 
incarcerated in adult facilities are five times more likely to report 
being victims of sexual assault than those in juvenile facilities.
  The recommendations contained in this new report identify the steps 
and standards needed to achieve safer conditions in our prison system. 
The members of the Commission deserve our gratitude for their skill and 
dedication in examining all aspects of this complex and serious 
problem, and so do all those who contributed their knowledge and 
expertise to the Commission's work. Their leadership is a major step 
toward resolving this festering crisis.
  I look forward to the important work ahead by the Congress, the 
Attorney General, and the many dedicated professionals, advocates, and 
experts to implement the Commission's recommendations.

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