# Prison Rape

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prison-rape/589982>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 22, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prison-rape/589982 "2011-07-22T14:02:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 4

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prison-rape/589982/61 "2011-07-25T16:29:46Z")

</div>

> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> Then I’m sure you can cite the law which sets forth that presumption?

In New York, it’s section 130.05 of the Penal Code (“Sex offenses; lack of consent.”)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prison-rape/589982/62 "2011-07-25T16:48:24Z")

</div>

Thanks. Are there similar provisions in other states?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prison-rape/589982/63 "2011-07-25T16:58:31Z")

</div>

> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> Thanks. Are there similar provisions in other states?

Va Code § 18.2-64.2

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prison-rape/589982/64 "2011-07-25T17:03:30Z")

</div>

The Virginia statute creates a separate offense, which is what I said would happen. The New York statute does what **Starving** said.

So I guess we’re both right.

ETA: The Florida statute does the same thing as the New York statute, although rape is referred to as sexual battery here… so I should have known better.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prison-rape/589982/65 "2011-07-25T18:19:33Z")

</div>

New York

> [@](#):
>
> 1. A person is deemed incapable of consent when he or she is:  
> (a) less than seventeen years old; or  
> (b) mentally disabled; or  
> (c) mentally incapacitated; or  
> (d) physically helpless; or  
> (e) committed to the care and custody of the state department of  
> correctional services or a hospital, as such term is defined in  
> subdivision two of section four hundred of the correction law, and the  
> actor is an employee, not married to such person, who knows or  
> reasonably should know that such person is committed to the care and  
> custody of such department or hospital. For purposes of this paragraph,  
> “employee” means (i)\*\* an employee of the state department of correctional  
> services who performs professional duties in a state correctional  
> facility consisting of providing custody, medical or mental health  
> services, counseling services, educational programs, or vocational  
> training for inmates\*\*;

Virginia

> [@](#):
>
> 18.2-64.2. Carnal knowledge of an inmate, parolee, probationer, detainee or pretrial or posttrial offender; penalty.
> 
> An accused shall be guilty of carnal knowledge of an inmate, parolee, probationer, detainee, or pretrial defendant or posttrial offender if he or she is an employee or contractual employee of, or a volunteer with, a state or local correctional facility or regional jail, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, a secure facility or detention home, as defined in § 16.1-228, a state or local court services unit, as defined in § 16.1-235, a local community-based probation services agency or a pretrial services agency; is in a position of authority over the inmate, probationer, parolee, detainee, or a pretrial defendant or posttrial offender; knows that the inmate, probationer, parolee, detainee, or pretrial defendant or posttrial offender is under the jurisdiction of the state or local correctional facility, a regional jail, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, a secure facility or detention home, as defined in § 16.1-228, a state or local court services unit, as defined in § 16.1-235, a local community-based probation services agency, or a pretrial services agency; and carnally knows, without the use of force, threat or intimidation (i) an inmate who has been committed to jail or convicted and sentenced to confinement in a state or local correctional facility or regional jail or (ii) a probationer, parolee, detainee, or a pretrial defendant or posttrial offender under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, a secure facility or detention home, as defined in § 16.1-228, a state or local court services unit, as defined in § 16.1-235, a local community-based probation services agency, a pretrial services agency, a local or regional jail for the purposes of imprisonment, a work program or any other parole/probationary or pretrial services program or agency. Such offense is a Class 6 felony.
> 
> For the purposes of this section, “carnal knowledge” includes the acts of sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anallingus, anal intercourse and animate or inanimate object sexual penetration.

So looks as if we are all correct.

But, is sex between guards and prisoners in these states such a problem that a statute has to be created rather than simply look at consent as a question of fact at a trial?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prison-rape/589982/66 "2011-07-25T18:46:36Z")

</div>

> [@AK84](#):
>
> But, is sex between guards and prisoners in these states such a problem that a statute has to be created rather than simply look at consent as a question of fact at a trial?

I think it was more of an issue that the state recognized that even consensual sex between a prisoner and an employee was a serious problem.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prison-rape/589982/67 "2011-07-25T18:49:22Z")

</div>

Sorry I phrased my statement poorly.What I meant was why did the state feel it necessary to criminalise it wholly, instead of dealing with it through administrative or disciplinaru means?

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prison-rape/589982.md?page=3)
