[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 62488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17815]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Justice Programs

[OJP (OJP) Docket No. 1461]


Hearing of the Review Panel on Prison Rape

AGENCY: Office of Justice Programs, Justice.

ACTION: Notice of hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is announcing the first 
hearing of the Review Panel on Prison Rape (Panel), which will be held 
in Represa, California, on November 14-15, 2006. The hearing times and 
location are noted below. The purpose of the hearing is to identify 
common characteristics, not only of victims and perpetrators of prison 
rape, but also of prisons and prison systems with a high incidence of 
prison rape and those that have been successful in deterring prison 
rape.

DATES: The hearing schedule is as follows:
    1. Tuesday, November 14, 2006, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    2. Wednesday, November 15, 2006, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The hearing will take place at the California State Prison, 
Sacramento on Prison Road in Represa, California 95671.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen M. Severens, Designated 
Federal Official, OJP, [email protected], or 202-514-8827. 
[Note: This is not a toll-free number.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Review Panel on Prison Rape, which was 
established pursuant to the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, Public 
Law 108-79, 117 Stat. 972 (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. 15601-15609 
(2006)), will hold its initial hearing on November 14-15, 2006, to 
carry out the review functions specified at 42 U.S.C. 15603(b)(3)(A). 
Results from this hearing will assist the Panel in formulating the 
questions that it will ask various facilities (including prisons, 
jails, and lockups at locations throughout the United States) at future 
hearings of the Review Panel to discern the best practices for 
deterring prison rape.
    The Panel chose to hold its initial hearing at the California State 
Prison in Sacramento because the California Department of Corrections 
and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is a large system. The Panel seeks to learn 
the following information from large prison systems similar to the 
CDCR:
     The factors in a prison environment conducive to deterring 
sexual assaults;
     The prison system protocols and policies requiring 
examination by the Panel;
     The staff persons in large systems that could be potential 
key witnesses at future Panel hearings;
     Useful methods for evaluating prison rape training of 
correctional officers and medical staff;
     Likely barriers to reporting, investigation, and 
deterrence of prison rape; and
     Useful methods for assessing the role of correctional 
officers' unions in deterring prison rape.
    The Panel's decision to hold its initial hearing at the California 
State Prison in Sacramento is not based upon any ranking or finding by 
the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) concerning the incidence of 
prison rape in any facility of the CDCR. The BJS rankings of all State 
and federal facilities (both adult and juvenile) by incidence of prison 
rape are expected to be completed by June 30, 2007.
    Members of the public who wish to attend the hearing must present 
photo identification upon entrance to the facility. Pursuant to CDCR 
rules and regulations, additional identification documentation may be 
required. Space is limited. Special needs requests should be made to 
Kathleen M. Severens, Designated Federal Official, OJP, 
[email protected] or 202-514-8827, at least one week prior to 
the hearing.

    Dated: October 18, 2006.
Michael Alston,
Office of Justice Programs.
 [FR Doc. E6-17815 Filed 10-24-06; 8:45 am]
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