On April 30, 2025, the Senate approved the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act, a bill introduced by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Jon Ossoff of Georgia. The legislation aims to address the widespread issue of sexual assault and harassment faced by Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees from inmates.
Senator Blackburn emphasized the importance of the bill, stating, “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.”
Senator Ossoff also highlighted the bipartisan effort behind the legislation, saying, “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.”
A February 2023 report by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) revealed that 40% of the 7,000 surveyed BOP staff experienced sexual harassment or assault by inmates. The report indicated that the BOP has insufficient data on these incidents and recommended steps for the BOP to better comprehend and address the issue.
The Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act mandates the BOP to implement the recommendations from the Inspector General’s 2023 report, and requires the DOJ OIG to analyze the punishments for such offenses in BOP facilities. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney General must establish national standards for preventing and addressing sexual harassment or assault of BOP staff by inmates.
Senators Blackburn and Ossoff had previously sent a letter to former BOP Director Colette Peters, urging the release of information regarding inmate-on-staff assault and harassment procedures. The Council of Prison Locals 33 National President Brandy Moore White, and Fraternal Order of Police National President Patrick Yoes, along with other organizations, have expressed support for the bill.
