From NdelaTorre at justdetention.org Fri May 4 12:03:09 2012 From: NdelaTorre at justdetention.org (Nicole de la Torre) Date: Fri, 4 May 2012 16:03:09 +0000 Subject: [RaisingTheBar] Coalition Meeting next Wednesday (May 9) at 3pmEST via Conference Call Message-ID: <613BF8CCA597104CAABDD4B83B6730B4027F97@Serv-Mail.SPR.local> Dear Coalition Members, Next Wednesday May 9th at 3:00 p.m. EST, we will be holding our general coalition meeting via conference call. To participate dial (712) 432-0080, code 425584#. Below please find the meeting's agenda. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you, Nicole Nicole de la Torre Program Assistant Just Detention International 1900 L St. NW, Suite 601 Washington, DC 20036 tel.: 202-506-3333 fax: 202-506-7971 www.justdetention.org www.twitter.com/JustDetention http://www.facebook.com/JDIonFB Agenda and call-in information: Wednesday, May 9, 3:00 p.m. EST Call-in number (712) 432-0080 (participant code 425584#) AGENDA 1. Quick updates A. Status of DOJ Final Rulemaking B. Update on application of PREA standards to immigration facilities C. Overview of Prison Rape Panel Report D. Member updates 2. Coalition Discussion Brainstorming on a plan for how we can motivate and support efforts by local groups to monitor implementation of PREA in their state and local systems/facilities 3. Other Items -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From NdelaTorre at justdetention.org Wed May 9 13:51:42 2012 From: NdelaTorre at justdetention.org (Nicole de la Torre) Date: Wed, 9 May 2012 17:51:42 +0000 Subject: [RaisingTheBar] REMINDER: Coalition Meeting TODAY at 3:00pm Message-ID: <613BF8CCA597104CAABDD4B83B6730B403482A@Serv-Mail.SPR.local> Dear Coalition Members, As a reminder, TODAY at 3:00 p.m. EST we will be holding our general coalition meeting via conference call. To participate dial (712) 432-0080, code 425584#. Thank you, Nicole Nicole de la Torre Program Assistant Just Detention International 1900 L St. NW, Suite 601 Washington, DC 20036 tel.: 202-506-3333 fax: 202-506-7971 www.justdetention.org www.twitter.com/JustDetention http://www.facebook.com/JDIonFB -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From NdelaTorre at justdetention.org Fri May 11 10:30:51 2012 From: NdelaTorre at justdetention.org (Nicole de la Torre) Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 14:30:51 +0000 Subject: [RaisingTheBar] 5/9/2012 Coalition Meeting Minutes Message-ID: <613BF8CCA597104CAABDD4B83B6730B4034B59@Serv-Mail.SPR.local> Dear Coalition Members, Attached please find the minutes from Wednesday's meeting. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments. Thank you, Nicole Nicole de la Torre Program Assistant Just Detention International 1900 L St. NW, Suite 601 Washington, DC 20036 tel.: 202-506-3333 fax: 202-506-7971 www.justdetention.org www.twitter.com/JustDetention http://www.facebook.com/JDIonFB -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 5.9.2012 Raising the Bar Meeting Minutes.doc Type: application/msword Size: 39424 bytes Desc: 5.9.2012 Raising the Bar Meeting Minutes.doc URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: NOW Anti-Shakling Tool Kit.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 154439 bytes Desc: NOW Anti-Shakling Tool Kit.pdf URL: From NdelaTorre at justdetention.org Thu May 17 09:33:51 2012 From: NdelaTorre at justdetention.org (Nicole de la Torre) Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 13:33:51 +0000 Subject: [RaisingTheBar] UPDATE: PREA standards to be published today Message-ID: <613BF8CCA597104CAABDD4B83B6730B40382FC@Serv-Mail.SPR.local> Dear Coalition Members, The PREA standards will be published today at 12:00 pm EST on the DOJ's website, http://www.justice.gov/. Attached is an initial version of talking points that JDI will use, please feel free to use them if it is helpful for your messaging. We will fill in the blanks about specific standards once they are released. More emails to come on this and other PREA related topics throughout the day. Thank you, Nicole Nicole de la Torre Program Assistant Just Detention International 1900 L St. NW, Suite 601 Washington, DC 20036 tel.: 202-506-3333 fax: 202-506-7971 www.justdetention.org www.twitter.com/JustDetention http://www.facebook.com/JDIonFB -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Talking points -- Raising the Bar Coalition.docx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document Size: 17287 bytes Desc: Talking points -- Raising the Bar Coalition.docx URL: From NdelaTorre at justdetention.org Thu May 17 10:04:56 2012 From: NdelaTorre at justdetention.org (Nicole de la Torre) Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 14:04:56 +0000 Subject: [RaisingTheBar] FW: One in ten state prisoners sexually abused Message-ID: <613BF8CCA597104CAABDD4B83B6730B403837A@Serv-Mail.SPR.local> Hi again, A lot of product coming out of the Department of Justice today. Please see below JDI?s press release about a new report from DOJ surveying former state prisoners. It contains some very important data. We?ve attached the report for your convenience. Also the National PREA Resource Center launched its website this morning, here is the link: http://www.prearesourcecenter.org/. Thank you, Nicole From: Lovisa Stannow, Just Detention International [mailto:info=justdetention.org at mail3.us4.mandrillapp.com] On Behalf Of Lovisa Stannow, Just Detention International Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2012 10:00 AM To: Nicole de la Torre Subject: One in ten state prisoners sexually abused Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. [Just Detention International - Rape is not part of the penalty] CONNECT: [Follow JDI on Twitter] Twitter [Like JDI on Facebook] Facebook [YouTube] YouTube [E-News Signup] E-News [Donate Now] For Immediate Release May 17, 2012 Contact: Jesse Lerner-Kinglake (Tel) 213-384-1400, ext. 113 E-mail: jkinglake at justdetention.org NEW REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE: ONE IN TEN STATE PRISONERS SEXUALLY ABUSED Bureau of Justice Statistics study confirms national crisis of sexual abuse in U.S. detention, exposes systemic problem of staff retaliation, and shatters prisoner rape stereotypes Washington, D.C., May 17, 2012 ? A Department of Justice study released this morning provides the most dramatic evidence yet of a nationwide, systemic crisis of sexual victimization in U.S. prisons, jails, and community corrections facilities. Of the former state prisoners surveyed by the Justice Department, 9.6 percent reported being sexually abused during their most recent period of detention, according to ?Sexual Victimization Reported by Former State Prisoners, 2008.? Gay and bisexual prisoners were disproportionately targeted in both men?s and women?s prisons; a shocking 39 percent of gay male inmates reported being assaulted by other prisoners. Today?s study also exposes the overt and widespread retaliation by corrections officials against inmates who report abuse. Almost half (46.3 percent) of the prisoners who reported to a corrections official that they had been sexually abused by a staff member were themselves written up for an infraction. When prisoners reported sexual abuse by other inmates, they were just as likely to be punished themselves (28.5 percent) as to get to talk to an investigator (28.3 percent) or to see their abuser punished (28.6 percent). Additionally, more than a third (37 percent) of prisoners who reported to staff that they had been abused by another prisoner said that facility staff did not respond at all. ?With such blatant retaliation for reporting abuse, it?s no wonder the vast majority of prisoner rape survivors choose to remain silent,? said Lovisa Stannow, Executive Director of Just Detention International. ?The failure of many corrections officials to treat sexual abuse within their facilities as a serious crime ? and the cynicism of punishing those who report having been abused ? is simply stunning.? Prisoner rape survivor and member of Just Detention International?s Board of Directors, Garrett Cunningham, explained: ?I was too scared to file a written complaint against my rapist because I feared retaliation from other prison officials. Instead, I wrote the Internal Affairs Department asking to meet with an investigator. They never addressed my concerns and failed to take precautions to protect me.? Contrary to common cultural stereotypes, about half of all prisoners reporting abuse were victimized by corrections staff. Female staff were by far the most likely perpetrators. Among survivors of staff sexual misconduct, 79 percent were males reporting sexual activity with female staff. Additionally, female inmates were more than three times more likely to be victimized by another prisoner than were male inmates (13.7 percent versus 4.2 percent). ?Today?s report reaffirms the crisis of sexual abuse in U.S. detention, and of the government?s utter failure to protect people in its custody,? said Stannow. ?With this study in hand, we must begin a serious discussion about the large numbers of female corrections officials who abuse male inmates, and about the high numbers of female prisoners who sexually abuse other inmates. Sexual abuse is a crime and has to be taken equally seriously regardless of the gender of the perpetrator and regardless of the custody status of the victim.? Other key findings of today?s Department of Justice report include: * More than one third (34 percent) of male prisoners identifying as bisexual and almost two of every five (39 percent) identifying as gay or homosexual reported being assaulted by another prisoner. Female prisoners identifying as bisexual or lesbian were twice as likely to be abused by staff as prisoners identifying as heterosexual (8 percent for both bisexual and lesbian inmates versus 4 percent for heterosexual inmates). The study did not ask about gender identity and the report therefore does not specify rates of abuse of transgender inmates. It is likely, however, that some heterosexual transgender prisoners identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual in order to have their abuse counted under the common category of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT). * Nearly a third of prisoners (32.4 percent) reported staff sexual harassment during showers and searches or while undressing ? harassment that did not meet the Department of Justice?s threshold for sexual abuse. Such widespread staff sexual harassment demonstrates an appalling lack of respect for inmates. * The vast majority of prisoners abused by staff were abused multiple times (86 percent). * Almost one in five boys under the age of 18 (18.6 percent) held in adult facilities were sexually abused by staff. * Among prisoners tested for HIV, a significantly higher percentage of those who had been sexually victimized by other inmates (6.5 percent) or by staff (4.6 percent) were HIV-positive than those who had not been victimized (2.6 percent). The report notes that it did not gather data on whether former prisoners contracted HIV while in custody. Today?s report was produced by the Department of Justice?s Bureau of Justice Statistics and mandated by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003. Its findings highlight the importance of the forthcoming national standards to prevent and address prisoner rape, also mandated by PREA. Those much-delayed uniform standards will be binding on prisons, jails, and several other types of detention facilities. ?Prisoner rape shatters lives and rips apart communities,? said Stannow. ?Yet this abuse is preventable. Today?s report shows clearly the need for a massive culture change inside our prisons and jails. It also demonstrates the urgent need for strong government regulations, requiring corrections facilities to do their job and ensure the safety and dignity of all prisoners.? ### Just Detention International (JDI) is a health and human rights organization that seeks to end sexual abuse in all forms of detention. [Charity Navigator Four Star Charity] [Top-rated Nonprofit 2011] [Just Detention International - Rape is not part of the penalty] Visit us at our website: justdetention.org Copyright ? 2012 Just Detention International, All rights reserved. You've received this e-mail because you joined the Just Detention International mailing list via our website or other means. Our mailing address is: Just Detention International 3325 Wilshire Blvd Suite 340 Los Angeles, CA 90010 Add us to your address book [Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp] unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | forward to a friend -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Sexual Victimization Reported by Former State Prisoners.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 1410074 bytes Desc: Sexual Victimization Reported by Former State Prisoners.pdf URL: From NdelaTorre at justdetention.org Thu May 17 12:27:08 2012 From: NdelaTorre at justdetention.org (Nicole de la Torre) Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 16:27:08 +0000 Subject: [RaisingTheBar] FINAL PREA STANDARDS PUBLISHED Message-ID: <613BF8CCA597104CAABDD4B83B6730B403849B@Serv-Mail.SPR.local> Dear Members, Attached please find the final PREA standards published by the Department of Justice minutes ago. Also attached is a Presidential Memorandum directing all agencies with Federal confinement facilities (not already subject to DOJ's final rule) to propose their own rules within 120 days. We will circulate the talking points as soon as they are finalized. Thank you, Nicole Nicole de la Torre Program Assistant Just Detention International 1900 L St. NW, Suite 601 Washington, DC 20036 tel.: 202-506-3333 fax: 202-506-7971 www.justdetention.org www.twitter.com/JustDetention http://www.facebook.com/JDIonFB -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: PREA_final_rule.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 1932561 bytes Desc: PREA_final_rule.pdf URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 2012prisonrape.mem.rel.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 64397 bytes Desc: 2012prisonrape.mem.rel.pdf URL: From NdelaTorre at justdetention.org Thu May 17 16:23:13 2012 From: NdelaTorre at justdetention.org (Nicole de la Torre) Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 20:23:13 +0000 Subject: [RaisingTheBar] Meeting TOMORROW (Friday) at 1:00pm/ Updated talking points attached Message-ID: <613BF8CCA597104CAABDD4B83B6730B4038682@Serv-Mail.SPR.local> Dear coalition members, Due to the release of the PREA standards, we will have a coalition meeting tomorrow (Friday) at 1:00pm EST via conference call. This will give coalition members a chance to discuss concerns and questions regarding the standards. To participate please dial (712) 432-0080, participant code 425584#. Also, attached please find an updated version of the talking points. Thank you, Nicole Nicole de la Torre Program Assistant Just Detention International 1900 L St. NW, Suite 601 Washington, DC 20036 tel.: 202-506-3333 fax: 202-506-7971 www.justdetention.org www.twitter.com/JustDetention http://www.facebook.com/JDIonFB -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Talking points -- Raising the Bar Coalition - updated.docx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document Size: 18662 bytes Desc: Talking points -- Raising the Bar Coalition - updated.docx URL: From NdelaTorre at justdetention.org Fri May 18 10:06:41 2012 From: NdelaTorre at justdetention.org (Nicole de la Torre) Date: Fri, 18 May 2012 14:06:41 +0000 Subject: [RaisingTheBar] Reminder: Meeting TODAY at 1:00pm EST via conference call Message-ID: <613BF8CCA597104CAABDD4B83B6730B40388A0@Serv-Mail.SPR.local> Dear coalition members, This is a reminder that we will have a conference call Today at 1:00pm EST to discuss the final standards, published yesterday. Here is a link to the Executive Summary: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/programs/pdfs/prea_executive_summary.pdf To participate please dial (712) 432-0080, participant code 425584#. Thank you, Nicole Nicole de la Torre Program Assistant Just Detention International 1900 L St. NW, Suite 601 Washington, DC 20036 tel.: 202-506-3333 fax: 202-506-7971 www.justdetention.org www.twitter.com/JustDetention http://www.facebook.com/JDIonFB -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: