Table of Contents
Introduction
Inmates, who are serving a court sentence in prison in the United States, are sexually abused either by the staffs or fellow inmates. It is evidence that the sexual abuse is common in correctional centers and other detention facilities. In order to deal with such issues, Congress ratified the Prison Rape Elimination Act. The act was passed for the purpose of putting the end to the crisis of sexual abuse in jails.
The Prison Rape Elimination Act contains some of the federal rules that are intended to address some of the unwanted behaviors that are going on currently in correctional facilities. The act is aimed at detecting, preventing and correcting unethical behavior, which affects inmates (Hummer & Byrne, 2012).
Screening and Classification
Facilities are used to access and screen inmates, who are being taken to prison and upon the transfer of prisoners. One of the critical factors, which are checked and considered being necessary, is the sex identification of inmate before admitting him or her to prison. There are frequent cases of transgender, sexual orientation, intersex and gender nonconformity conditions. Furthermore, inmates must be checked to ensure that they are protected in prison.
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This act affects prison facilities positively. The reason is that it enables facilities to select the proper and individualized decision regarding the security of the inmate. Facility will ensure that all the prisoners are protected from sexual abuse within the cells and wards in prisons.
The law works hand in hand with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). PREA provides a focus on eliminating the issues of rape in prisons. Furthermore, the act is used as a tool for responding to the problem of abuse. This helps identify those inmates, who are at risk, in order to isolate them. However, the system does not work effectively sometimes as isolation can amount to torture. In order to cope with such problems, it is necessary to assess all the alternatives before implementing any of them (Jessica, 2012).
Compliance and Enforcement
The standards are legally binding with the prison rules and regulations. This assures the department and other related parties that the acts must be performed in such a way that the rehabilitation process can be conducted professionally. Besides, the state’s governor must ensure that the standards are implemented and monitored closely. There will be a financial penalty imposed in the case of failure.
Conclusion
In conclusion, agencies must allow staff enough time and sufficient resources for the implementation of the standards. When the implementation time is over, they should follow up to ensure that they implement accreditation standards that are set. The established criteria must meet the PREA Standards, as well. Thus, inmates will be protected from sexual abuse and any other form of violation in prison.
It is also necessary for the relevant authorities to decongest prisons. This is essential because it will reduce unethical behaviors that are taking place in prisons and other various correctional centers.