WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the Senate passed the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act introduced by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) to help address the increasingly pervasive sexual assault and harassment of Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees by inmates:

“No law enforcement officer or federal employee should fear for their safety on the job, and we need to eradicate sexual assault and harassment of vulnerable staff members in our prison system. The Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act is a critical move toward protecting prison staff, and I’m pleased to see it one step closer to becoming law,” said Senator Blackburn.

“I remain focused on oversight of the Federal prison system and ending sexual abuse in prisons and jails, including the abuse of prison staff. Senator Blackburn and I brought Republicans and Democrats together to pass this bipartisan bill to help end sexual abuse in Federal prisons,” said Senator Ossoff.

BACKGROUND

• According to a February 2023 report by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG), a staggering 40% of 7,000 surveyed BOP staff stated they had been sexually harassed or sexually assaulted by an inmate.

• The 2023 report found that the BOP has inadequate data on inmate-on-staff sexual harassment and assault and has not been able to fully ascertain the scope of this widespread problem.  The report also made a number of significant recommendations for the BOP to implement to help the agency better understand and mitigate this nationwide problem.

THE PRISON STAFF SAFETY ENHANCEMENT ACT

• The Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act would require:

• The BOP to fully implement the recommendations in the Inspector General’s 2023 report regarding mitigating inmate-on-staff sexual harassment and assault and fully ascertaining the scope of the problem; 

• The DOJ OIG to conduct an analysis of punishments for sexual harassment and sexual assault in BOP facilities; and

• The U.S. Attorney General to promulgate a rule adopting national standards for prevention, reduction, and punishment of sexual assault and harassment of BOP staff by inmates. 

• Senators Blackburn and Ossoff sent a letter to former BOP Director Colette Peters requesting that BOP release information about inmate-on-staff sexual assault and harassment reporting procedures, correctional methods, and staff assistance programs.

• Council of Prison Locals 33 National President Brandy Moore White wrote a letter expressing support for this legislation, as did Fraternal Order of Police National President Patrick Yoes. The American Correctional Association and the National Association of Police Organizations have also endorsed this critical bill.

RELATED

• Blackburn, Ossoff Introduce Bill to Prevent Sexual Abuse of Prison Staff

• Blackburn, Ossoff Launch Inquiry to Protect Federal Prison Staff from Sexual Assault and Harassment

Click here for bill text.