NCJ Number
45061
Date Published
1977
Length
15 pages
Annotation
THE FINDINGS OF A STUDY OF AGGRESSORS AND VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN PRISON ARE REPORTED, AND SOME ACTUAL INCIDENTS ARE DESCRIBED IN DETAIL.
Abstract
FOLLOWING REPORTS OF PRISONERS BEING RAPED BY GANGS OF CRIMINALS IN SHERIFF'S VANS, PHILADELPHIA OFFICIALS CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION OF THE CITY'S PRISON SYSTEM. THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 1966 TO JULY 1968 WAS STUDIED; 3,304 INMATES WHO WERE IN CUSTODY DURING THAT TIME AND 561 CUSTODIAL EMPLOYEES WERE INTERVIEWED. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT, DURING THE 26-MONTH PERIOD, THERE HAD BEEN 156 SEXUAL ASSAULTS WHICH COULD BE DOCUMENTED AND SUBSTANTIATED. OF THIS TOTAL, 7 TOOK PLACE IN THE SHERIFF'S VANS, 149 IN THE PRISONS. IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF UNREPORTED ASSAULTS WAS MUCH HIGHER, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS: INVESTIGATOR INTERVIEWED ONLY ONE-TWENTIETH OF THE INMATES WHO PASSED THROUGH THE SYSTEM DURING THAT PERIOD; THOSE WHO WERE STILL IN PRISON WERE AFRAID TO COOPERATE FOR FEAR OF RETRIBUTION; VICTIMS WERE OFTEN PRESSURED BY GUARDS, OR WERE THEMSELVES TOO ASHAMED TO FILE A COMPLAINT; AND IN MANY CASES, THE PROTECTIVE CUSTODY (WHICH AMOUNTS TO SOLITARY CONFINEMENT) PRESCRIBED FOR THE VICTIM IS CONSIDERED EVEN WORSE THAN A HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP. INVESTIGATORS ESTIMATED THAT, IN FACT, 2000 ASSAULTS TOOK PLACE DURING THE PERIOD; OF THESE, ONLY 26 WERE EVER REPORTED TO POLICE FOR PROSECUTION. A TYPICAL VICTIM OF THE TYPE OF ASSAULT LOOKS YOUNG FOR HIS AGE, LOOKS LESS ATHLETIC THAN OTHER INMATES, AND IS BETTER-LOOKING. MOST ASSAULTS INVOLVED BLACK AGGRESSORS AND WHITE VICTIMS, WHICH MAY BE EXPLAINED BY THE FACT THAT BLACKS WERE IN THE MAJORITY IN THIS PRISON SYSTEM, AND IT IS SAFER FOR THE MEMBER OF A MAJORITY GROUP TO ASSAULT A MEMBER OF A MINORITY. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA'S PROGRAM OF USING PRISONERS AS 'HUMAN GUINEA PIGS' CONTRIBUTED TO HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE PRISON, AS THEY WERE PAID WELL FOR THEIR WORK, AND SOME ALLOWED TO AMASS GREAT WEALTH (BY PRISON STANDARDS). IT IS ASSERTED THAT PRISON OFFICIALS COULD REDUCE SEXUAL ASSAULTS BY TRYING TO REDUCE SUCH DISPARITIES IN ECONOMIC POWER HELD BY ANY INMATE. CONCLUSIONS OF THIS STUDY WERE THAT: THE TYPICAL AGGRESSOR DOES NOT CONSIDER HIMSELF TO BE HOMOSEXUAL; THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE AGGRESSOR APPEARS NOT TO BE SEXUAL RELEASE, RATHER THE CONQUEST AND DEGRADATION OF HIS VICTIM; SOME AGGRESSORS IDENTIFY WITH AGGRESSIVE GANGS IN ORDER TO AVOID BECOMING VICTIMS THEMSELVES; AND FOR MANY AGGRESSORS, MOST NONSEXUAL AVENUES OF ASSERTING THEIR MASCULINITY (E.G., JOB SUCCESS, RAISING A FAMILY) HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CLOSED TO THEM, AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IS THEIR ONLY RECOURSE.