Memphis Standard

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) have introduced the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act to address sexual assault and harassment of Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees by inmates.

“Last year, nearly half of surveyed Bureau of Prisons staff stated they had been sexually harassed or assaulted by an inmate. This statistic is appalling and unacceptable. No federal employee or law enforcement officer should have to fear for their safety when they show up to work, and the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act would be an important step forward in ending sexual abuse of prison staff who are simply trying to do their jobs,” 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 are introducing this bipartisan bill to help end sexual abuse in Federal prisons,” said Senator Ossoff.

According to a February 2023 report by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG), 40% of 7,000 surveyed BOP staff reported being sexually harassed or assaulted by an inmate. At United States Penitentiary Thomson (USP Thomson) in Illinois, there were over 300 incidents of inmate-on-staff sexual harassment in 2022 alone, despite housing only 875 inmates. The report suggests that BOP’s reporting and corrective procedures for such incidents are inadequate.

The Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act would require:

- The DOJ OIG to conduct a comprehensive statistical review and analysis of the incidence and effects of sexual harassment and assault perpetrated by federal inmates against BOP staff;

- The U.S. Attorney General to report the findings to Congress;

- The U.S. Attorney General to adopt national standards for prevention, reduction, and punishment of such offenses.

Last week, Senators Blackburn and Ossoff sent a letter to BOP Director Colette Peters requesting information about current reporting procedures, correctional methods, and staff assistance programs regarding inmate-on-staff sexual assault and harassment. Council of Prison Locals 33 National President Brandy Moore White has expressed support for this legislation.

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