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| Mich. COs convicted in inmate sex cases |
| By AP |
| Published: 05/23/2005 |
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Thirty-one Michigan prison officers have been convicted of criminal conduct involving female inmates who said they were sexually abused, a newspaper said Monday. The abuse ranged from fondling to oral sex to intercourse, The Detroit News said. The newspaper said it also found that 11 other officers have been convicted of other criminal charges. The Michigan Department of Corrections settled lawsuits in 1999 and 2000 over inmate sexual abuse. It promising major changes to stop sexual abuse by officers, including the screening of all prison officer applicants for criminal records. The department also said it would test applicants for drugs and check criminal records of officers every five years for any crimes committed during their employment. In 1995, the U.S. Department of Justice said a 10-month investigation found that female inmates in two Michigan prisons were raped, deprived of good medical care and forced to endure crowded, unsanitary conditions. In 1996, the state barred the hiring of convicted felons by the department. But the law did not affect officers already on the job or applicants with misdemeanor convictions. "I'm confident the screening process and the checks and balances are good," said prison official Nancy Zang, who applies department's policies to female prisons. "We want safe, secure facilities that are safe for staff, for the inmates and that don't waste money for the public." Under Michigan law, a felon with only one conviction can apply to have a criminal record erased five years after serving a sentence. |
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