The U.S. Senate has passed legislation introduced by Georgia U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff aimed at improving safety and security inside the federal prison system.
The Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act, which senators passed by unanimous consent Thursday night, would require the Justice Department to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for addressing inmate-on-staff sexual assault. The department also would have to submit data on the prevalence of inmate-on-staff sexual harassment to the agency’s inspector general and establish a national standard for preventing and reducing sexual abuse in federal prisons.
The bill – which Ossoff is sponsoring with Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee – is a follow-up to legislation then-President Joe Biden signed last year establishing independent oversight of the federal Bureau of Prisons.
