Prison rape statistics have always been taken with a grain of salt by prison officials. Many believed that inmates were making the stories up; others conceded that these crimes did take place, but they were the exception rather than the rule. However, as Just Detention International explains, two recent Bureau of Justice Statistics studies show that even when asked anonymously, prisoners still report that rape by both other inmates, as well as by guards, takes place at an alarming rate.

The study methods and consistency of results indicate that this data is accurate, with the same risk factors and patterns of abuse being shown throughout our prison system. The studies were not only conducted in adult facilities, but in juvenile detention centers as well, which makes the findings even more troubling. The article shares in-depth analysis based on race, gender, and age.

Unfortunately, collecting and sharing these statistics is only half the battle. Now that these findings have come to light, how can the prison system curb these sexual assaults?

Read the full article at nybooks.com

Georgia, a state that has historically incarcerated disproportionate numbers of black offenders, has recently reduced their black prison intake by 20%, according to a study detailed last week in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. How was this accomplished?

According to Governor Nathan Deal, “By identifying low-risk, nonviolent offenders and more effective ways to rehabilitate them, we are steering these offenders away from a life of crime and reserving our expensive prison beds for the violent offenders who pose a public safety risk.” 

This move is only one example of the changes Georgia is making in an attempt to revolutionize a penal system that has ranked one of the highest used in the country, leading the nation in incarceration rates as recently as 2009.

What other reforms are taking place in Georgia? Find out more at atlantadailyworld.com