Michigan Not Responsible for Teenage Prison Rape, Says Attorney General’s Office

Are Michigan correction’s officers allowing teenage prisoners to be sexually assaulted by adult inmates? A recent lawsuit indicates that juveniles held in the prison system are being forced to engage in sexual activity with adult prisoners and staff members, according to CBS Detroit, with some of the despicable acts “open and obvious.”

However, the Department of Corrections has denied the allegations and do not believe their employees should be held responsible. The state argues that correctional officers cannot be held liable for the rapes of teenagers while they are behind bars.

“There are inherent risks of being incarcerated, whether someone is under 18 years old or they are over 18 years old. … Prisons are not where you want to spend your time,” said Assistant Attorney General Mark Donnelly during a recent court hearing. “Just because someone is in our custody and they get injured, it does not mean we are liable for that injury.”

Because Michigan can charge violent juvenile offenders as adults, there are sometimes 16 and 17-year-old kids forced to “shower, eat, recreate, and work with adult prisoners,” according to the report. Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Justice indicates roughly 2-percent of teen inmates (both male and female) are sexually abused in prison by other inmates. Yet, prison staff is still more likely to engage in this behavior.