美國監獄裏的強姦問題
Inmate advocates worry that a proposal toreduce the financial penalties for states that don't comply with a 2003 federallaw aimed at eliminating rape behind bars will severely damage it.
囚犯權利倡議者擔心對那些不遵守2003年頒發的聯邦法案的州降低經濟處罰的建議將不利於該法律的實施，該法律的目標是消滅監獄裏的強姦。
The measure failed this fall. Its sponsor, Cornyn, R-Texas, vows to re-introduce it in the newGOP-controlled Congress.
這個法案在今年秋天失效了。該法案的支持者來自德克薩斯州的共和黨人參議員John Cornyn承諾將在共和黨控制的新國會裏重回引入該法案。Cornyn said the funds include grants forworthy programs — such as ones that support rape and domestic violence victims— and that the law should be more narrowly tailored to affect money that goesto prison construction, operations and administration.
他說這個基金將給有價值的項目撥款，比如爲強姦和家暴受害者提供幫助的項目，還說必須讓這份法律擁有管理監獄建設、運作和管理等費用的權力。
Supporters of the measure acknowledge thechange would essentially eliminate the financial penalties, since little — ifany — federal grant money is used for prison construction, daily operations andadministration.
這項措施的支持者承認說，做個改變將從本質上消滅經濟處罰，因爲聯邦的撥款資金中幾乎沒有用來進行監獄建設、日常運營和管理的。Those costs are typically handled by localgovernment budgets.
這些費用主要由當地政府的預算中撥出。A LONG-IGNORED PROBLEM: PRISON RAPE
一個被長久忽視的問題：監獄裏的強姦Inmate advocates had lobbied for years forpolicymakers and lawmakers to address the problem of prison rape. Federalstatistics show about 216,000 adult and juvenile inmates are sexually assaultedeach year, compared to 238,000 inthe overall U.S.
囚犯權利倡議者遊說多年要求政策制定者和立法者解決監獄裏強姦的問題。聯邦統計數據表明每年有216000成年人和青少年囚犯被性侵，而全美每年被性侵的人數爲238000人。More than half of all sexual assaultsbehind bars are committed by prison staffers, according to the U.S. Departmentof Justice, and more than half of those employee-on-inmate assaults arecommitted by women.
根據美國司法部門的數據，超過半數的囚犯被性侵事件是監獄工作人員乾的，而在監獄工作人員性侵囚犯的案例中，又有超過半數是女性監獄工作人員乾的。Among the most vulnerable populations arethe mentally ill, juveniles and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender inmates.
其中最弱勢的羣體包括了精神病患者，青少年，蕾絲，同性戀，雙性戀和變性者等等這些囚犯。
