Cornyn fights crisis

Just Detention International and Prison Fellowship wish to thank Sen. John Cornyn for his leadership in the effort to end the sexual abuse crisis in U.S. detention facilities. He and Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii recently co-authored a letter, signed by 12 colleagues, strongly urging adequate funding for the Justice Department’s implementation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act.

Since 2005, federal support for PREA has motivated corrections agencies nationwide to increase safety in their facilities. The Justice Department has sent millions of dollars back to states and counties to prevent sexual abuse in detention and has funded groundbreaking research into the prevalence of this violence. Agencies in Texas have received four of these grants.

This is not the first time Sen. Cornyn has led on this issue. Last year, he successfully co-authored amendments to PREA to help speed its implementation nationwide and preserve vital federal dollars for local services in communities across the country.

JDI and PF wish to express their gratitude to the senator for his ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety and dignity of every adult and child behind bars.

Originally posted here