Friday, June 07, 2013

Widespread rape by staff indicates 'fundamental failure' of juvenile detention in US...

Teenagers jailed in the United States are frequently, and often repeatedly, raped in juvenile detention centers throughout the country, according to a US Department of Justice survey obtained by Pro Publica.

The Justice Department survey, which polled group homes and jails for troubled youths, found that the teens were most often victimized by staff and counselors. A full 20 per cent of the respondents said they were assaulted more than 10 times. Over 8,500 boys and girls under 18 years old were questioned, with 1,720 reporting they had been assaulted.

Allen Beck, who authored the report, told Pro Publica the number of staff-on-inmate attacks was “about three times higher than what we find in the adult arena.” Psychologists and researchers working with sexual assault have long asserted that the number of victims who admit being abused is traditionally much lower than the true amount.

 “Today’s report illustrates the fundamental failure of many juvenile detention facilities to keep their youth safe,” said Louisa Stannow, executive director of Just Detention International, a California-based health and human rights organization. Full story...

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