New Bill Mandates Federal Prisons Act on Staff Sexual Assault Report Within 90 Days, Requires National Safety Standards

This bill, the "Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act," tackles the serious issue of sexual harassment and assault by incarcerated individuals against federal prison staff. Citing a 2023 Inspector General (IG) report that found the problem widespread and Bureau of Prisons (BOP) efforts lacking, the legislation mandates specific actions to improve safety and accountability.

From Report to Reality: A 90-Day Clock

The core requirement is straightforward: the Bureau of Prisons has 90 days from the Act's passage to implement all recommendations from that critical 2023 IG report. This isn't a suggestion; it's a deadline. The report highlighted failures in data collection and evaluating prevention strategies. If the BOP can't meet the 90-day target, Section 3 demands they report to Congress, explaining the delay and providing a new, detailed timeline for getting it done. This aims to turn ignored recommendations into enforceable policy changes designed to protect correctional officers and other staff.

Digging into the Data

Recognizing that you can't fix what you don't fully understand, the bill directs the Department of Justice Inspector General to gather updated data. Specifically, the IG needs to find out the number and prevalence of sexual harassment and assault incidents against BOP staff from fiscal year 2022 through 2025. Crucially, Section 3 also requires the IG to analyze how these incidents were punished over the five years leading up to this Act. This detailed picture – covering both the frequency of incidents and the consequences – will be reported to Congress and the Attorney General, providing a factual basis for future actions.

Crafting Consistent Protections

Armed with the IG's analysis, the Attorney General gets a new assignment: create national standards for preventing, reducing, and punishing sexual harassment and sexual assault committed by incarcerated individuals against BOP staff. This must happen within one year of receiving the IG's report. The goal here is consistency and effectiveness – establishing clear, nationwide rules and procedures intended to make federal prisons safer workplaces for the people who run them. The bill defines key terms, including referencing the definition of sexual assault found in military law (10 U.S.C. 920 subsections (b), (c), or (d)), ensuring clarity on the scope of behaviors addressed.