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| Prison sex-abuse suits raise concerns |
| By statesmanjournal.com |
| Published: 12/21/2009 |
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Readers reacted strongly to news that six more current and former inmates of Oregon's prison for women have filed lawsuits alleging sexual abuse and harassment by male prison employees. There now are 11 women who have filed such lawsuits against the Oregon Department of Corrections for alleged sexual abuse at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. The lawsuits seek tens of millions of dollars in damages. Most commenters were happy to see the lawsuits, arguing that prison employees should be held accountable if such things are going on. Online commenter salemmom wrote: "I hope these cases go to trial. It's the only way we will learn what's going on at our prisons and within the Department of Corrections. It's the only way we can know that change will occur. Otherwise, once again we have to trust the administrators who have clearly already failed to properly administrate. Will they tell us the truth? Will they overlook their personal interest in limiting information to us? With this track record, I sincerely doubt it. Where are you, Governor? "It would probably be cheaper than settling; plaintiffs have to prove damages and a jury must award them. I don't think a jury will like these plaintiffs much. Discovery on both sides will be absolutely brutal. The courts are open to the public; they can't keep a lid on in open court." Jarhead0311 wants to see the laws on prison sex expanded: "I know there is a law preventing guards from having sex with inmates ... now a felony, all other conduct constituting a misdemeanor ... I was saying the law needs to be expanded to stop all predatory sexual abuse within the prison walls because if you think guards are the only people forcing and coercing inmates into having sex in prison you are sadly mistaken. That's why I said a law making any and all sex within prison illegal (felony). If guards cannot claim consentuality as a defense because of the power and control they have over the inmates under their care, then that goes even more so for the predatory inmates who have even more power and control over inmates than the guards do." Read More. |
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