A study conducted by the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that juvenile inmates in U.S. juvenile detention facilities are subjected to a "very high rate of staff sexual misconduct." The report, based on a study of 195 facilities in all 50 states, found that at some facilities more than 30 percent of the juveniles had been victims of some type of sexual abuse.
Overall, 12 percent of incarcerated juveniles across the country were raped or sexually abused while in custody last year. The forms of sexual victimization included sexual activity with staff as well as forced sexual activity with another youth.
The study is the first of its kind to research sexual abuse of juvenile inmates. The study indicates that the rate of sexual assault is more than seven times higher than reported in a 2008 Justice Department report based on sexual abuse claims made to juvenile facility administrators. The rate is also higher than the rate reported in adult prisons.
The majority of the sexual abuse claims involve female staff and the boys under their supervision. 95 percent of the juveniles reporting sexual abuse said the sexual abuse was committed by female staff members. Approximately 26,550 juveniles are held in 500 facilities around the country, with 91% of the inmates being boys.
For more information:
Justice study tracks rape, sexual abuse of juvenile inmates
Study: youths sexually abused in juvenile prisons
Report: Sex abuse high at 13 juvenile centers
Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Facilities Reported by Youth, 2008-09
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