Urgent Action Alert! Sign On to End Rape of Juveniles in Prisons

[Darcy Delaproser]

VERY IMPORTANT

2 DAYS LEFT

Action Alert
March 31, 2011

ACTION NEEDED ON DOJ REGULATIONS - Remove youth from adult prisons and jails

 

In response to the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) proposed regulations on the implementation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), we are circulating a sign-on letter calling on DOJ to ban the placement of youth (under 18) in adult jails and prisons.  Our goal is to obtain at least 500 national, state and local organizations and individuals in all 50 states. As the DOJ comments are due at close of business on Monday, April 4^th, we are asking for signatories by Friday, April 1^st at 12:00 noon. If you or your organization would like to sign onto the attached letter, please email [e-mail].

 

 

TAKE ACTION

 

We write to you today with a special request.  As many of you know, adult prisons and jails are plagued with sexual assaults and dangerous living conditions.  The threat of prison rape has existed since the beginning of prisons in this country, but today, we have the opportunity to change this for millions of people.  Whether you have a loved one locked up or not, we ask you to join us by signing onto our letter of recommendations as soon as possible. 

 

The Prison Rape Elimination Act is the first opportunity for substantial change to prisons in our lifetimes.  The Campaign has created a sign on letter of recommendations to the U.S. Department of Justice.  It only takes a minute to sign on and we are seeking at least 500 signatures by Friday morning. 

 

We ask that you sign and send it to your friends, church groups, reading clubs, family, anyone who you think would take the minute or so to do it.  Five-hundred signatures would show that people across the country believe that being in prison is the punishment; people should not be violated and raped in addition.  Help us to end this culture inside prisons and juvenile facilities today!

 

To sign on, just send  a quick email with your name, state and how you would like to be identified (mother, friend, advocate, concerned citizen, etc) to Justin Baker at [e-mail].  Just say, "Sign me on!"

 

Click here to see a list of individuals and organizations who have already signed on.

Click here to read the sign on letter of recommendations

 

 

 

PREA Background

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was signed into law by President Bush in 2003 to address sexual violence behind bars.  A key component of the law was the creation of the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission (NPREC), a bipartisan federal commission charged with developing national standards addressing prisoner rape and the requirements would apply to all detention facilities, including federal and state prisons, jails, police lock-ups, private facilities, and immigration detention centers.  The NPREC held public hearings, had expert committees to draft the standards, and released their final recommendations by issuing a report and set of standards (available online at http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/226680.pdf.)  The Administration issued draft rules in 2010, opened them for public comment, and has now issued proposed final rules, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/programs/pdfs/prea_nprm.pdf, and is seeking public comments again.  These comments are due April 4, 2011.