DAILY BRIEFING
Prisons Bureau Settles Sex Suit
The U.S. Bureau of Prisons announced Wednesday that it will improve its sexual harassment and assault policies to settle a lawsuit by three female inmates who said they were beaten, raped and sold by guards for sex at a federal penitentiary, the Associated Press reported.
Under the terms of the settlement, the Bureau of Prisons agreed to expand its sexual harassment training program, provide immediate medical and psychiatric care for inmates who are sexually assaulted and develop a confidential system of reporting attacks. These changes will be enforced nationwide at all federal prisons.
In addition, the bureau agreed to pay the three plaintiffs $500,000.
"We must be able to monitor what goes on behind the prisons' concrete and steel veil of secrecy," said Geri Lynn Green, an attorney for the plaintiffs. "What happened in this case is precisely the danger posed by a prison system without accountability and independent investigations."
Robin Lucas, Valerie Mercadel and Raquel Douthit filed suit last August, saying officials knew about the attacks but did not respond when they asked for protection.
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