Is federally- or state-funded “ex-criminal” protection done at all in the U.S. (aside from Henry Hill types who turn state’s evidence)? I’ve never heard of it, but something like this could easily have slipped under my radar.
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Slightly related question: the notorious murderer (and cannibal?) Jeffery Dahmer was attacked twice and ultimately killed by another inmate in prison. Does his jailhouse murder have any kind of international profile? Is it considered a failure of the American penal system?
N.B. I am aware that there’s no one “American penal system” … just wondering about whatever extranational perceptions of Dahmer’s death might be out there.
It was reported in Australia. As I recall there was not much coverage other than the facts. My opinion was (and is) that no matter who runs the system it seems to be impossible to protect every prisoner all the time. Dahmer was an obvious target, and his death was not a huge surprise.
I don’t believe anyone deserves to be attacked by another inmate, and I believe the system should take all reasonable steps to protect prisoners. Having said that, I did not shed a tear or lose any sleep when I heard about Dahmer.
Edited to add. So in summary, I don’t believe it was a general perception here that Dahmer’s death was a failure of the American penal system.
And other than, as the OP notes, those who become cooperating Federal witnesses and are approved to enter the Federal Witness Protection Program,* notorious criminals are not given protection upon leaving prison.
*IIRC, a handful of states have their own similar but much more small-scale programs.
Since there has been at least one similar murder in an Australian prison, the incident might be seen as a failure of the prison system, but not a distinctively American failure.