NCJ Number
178469
Journal
Howard Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 38 Issue: 3 Dated: August 1999 Pages: 267-282
Date Published
August 1999
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This research uses a content-analysis methodology to examine the issue of male rape among prison populations within the United States.
Abstract
The physical and psychological aspects of rape are described by professionals, victims, and aggressors. The inmate terminology related to prison rape, such as "punk" and "jocker," are defined to show the social structure of the prison sexual subculture. Previous theories of prison rape concerning racism, power, and sexual deprivation are discussed and analyzed. Racially motivated rapes of white inmates by black inmates are common. Both quantitative and qualitative data show a prevalence of predominantly black rapists and white victims nationwide for the last 40 years. The controversial issues of conjugal visits, home furlough release, or allowing homosexual behavior in prisons are debated as possible solutions for prison sexual assault. The debate on the issuance of condoms in prison to prevent the transmission of AIDS or the HIV virus during rape attacks is also discussed. The inmate classification system is presented as one possible strategy for reducing the number of prison rapes. One goal of inmate classification would be to identify violent sexual aggressors and separate them from the general nonviolent prison population. The author also considers inmate separation by race and ethnicity, since literary evidence shows "black racism" to be the common denominator in most prison sexual assaults on predominantly white inmates. 3 notes and 38 references