Does Our (USA) Government Use Rape to Control it's Prison Population?

[VWFringe]

Obviously I want that statement, or question, to rattle your head, but I also want to find out how off-base I am for even thinking this?

Does the United States government use rape to control it's prison population?

Why would that be okay with us?

sources for what got me onto this:
Wikipedia - Prison Rape in the United States

Many human rights groups, such as the Human Rights Watch and Stop Prisoner Rape, have cited documented incidents showing that prison staff tolerate rape as a means of controlling the prison population in general.

Guardian - Rape in the US military: America's dirty little secret

 

[Ymir]

This is a great question, perhaps link it to the post I started called Vape+philosophy=discussion........

Unless we make this one a NON-VAPED philosophy thread...I'm VAPED now.

 

[Elluzion]

This is horrible. Another reason to hate the military/government and all the dirty bs they hide and cover. It is enough to poison the minds of young men and women into being an "american" and fighting for their country and becoming brainwashed.. Sad

 

[VWFringe]

hehe, prolly belongs in Activism at the LEAST

 

[treecityrnd]

Any means necessary, right? Go Team America! I always think back to that movie whenever I see something "absurd" like this.

 

[djonkoman]

how would that control the prison population?
(not meant sarcastically but as a serious question)

 

[Qbit]

Prison rape is most certainly used as a threat by cops on crime suspects during interrogation.

 

[Carbon]

Not directly related but I don't think it's right that some prisons are be owned by corporations and are for-profit businesses.

 

[Qbit]

I just read an excellent article a couple of days ago from the New Yorker on the subject of US prisons, including the subject of rape and its institutionalised role.

The Caging Of America.

 

[treecityrnd]

Not directly related but I don't think it's right that some prisons are be owned by corporations and are for-profit businesses.

I'll Google later when I'm not so lazy, but there was a terrible case of this exact conflict of interest recently. I want to say it was in Michigan or Ohio. Prisons (or the people who "owned" them) were paying off judges to convict people (mostly kids I believe) so they could fill their cells.

Great article Qbit. I was reading that the other day too. I think they did a quick news blurb on it too, MSNBC or something. The thing that struck me was the "institutionalized" part. Everyone was just so accepting of it, like it was just part of the usual routine. Reminded me of Catholic priest pedophiles.

 

[hogleg]

http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2011/08/kids_for_cash_judge_gets_28_years_in_prison.php

 

[treecityrnd]

^^^ Thank you hogleg!

Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio...its all the Rust Belt

 

[momatik]

Excellent article on the subject:
http://reason.com/archives/2011/06/20/rape-factories

The U.S. Department of Justice recently released its first-ever estimate of the number of inmates who are sexually abused in America each year. According to the departments data, which are based on nationwide surveys of prison and jail inmates as well as young people in juvenile detention centers, at least 216,600 inmates were victimized in 2008 alone. Contrary to popular belief, most of the perpetrators were not other prisoners but staff memberscorrections officials whose job it is to keep inmates safe. On average, each victim was abused between three and five times over the course of the year. The vast majority were too fearful of reprisals to seek help or file a formal complaint.

 

[WatTyler]

http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2011/08/kids_for_cash_judge_gets_28_years_in_prison.php

hahaha and the comments below that article bring us nicely back to prison rape.

You can blame the government if it's easiest OP, but it's a problem with society. "Vote for me- I'll reform the prisons" won't win many. As the comments after that story show a lot of people do positively believe in rape as part of the punishment of being in prison. They want him raped.

Fuck it, a lot of people in the USA (and here too, but it doesn't actually happen here) even believe that people should be murdered by the state for the crimes they may have committed. That's even more morally objectionable to me.

 

[wilf789]

Wat I just had a horrific mental image of being prison raped by the character in your avatar

Sorry I didn't add anything intelligent to the topic... but that thought was too gross not to share!

 

[Abysmal Vapor]

Here in Bulgaria it is common for priest to molest small boys .. In prisons there are also rape cases but are few compared to what religious man do .
I see you got the same problem http://www.theatlantic.com/entertai...teach-us-about-the-penn-state-scandal/248588/
Whats up with those church guys..

 

[VWFringe]

I think only 20% of priests remain celibate (80% being a wide spectrum, not just perverts)

maybe not forgivable, but understandable

another huge institution on the wrong side of history (moving against it's own people), then doing everything except correct the problem?

 

[VWFringe]

how would that control the prison population?
(not meant sarcastically but as a serious question)

I did read this:

There is an argument that prison guards and officials tolerate rape in order to maintain a hierarchy of control among the inmates

My first thoughts would be around what any man, sentenced to years in prison, would be like, if their sex drive was repressed, not by choice, but by external rule. Pretty much sounds like a recipe for disaster.

 

[DaProfessor]

I think that institutionalized violence is purposely fostered within the corporate prison system. If an inmate felt safe, then it wouldn't really be punishment. At least that's how I think that most of America feels. Therefore we create a violence driven prison culture, to keep it a place of punishment. Also, violent inmates are more likely to re-offend and create more business for the prison related industries. It creates jobs, so it can't be evil...right