Culture of abuse.

• Author: Copenhagen, Jeff
• Position: Letters to the Editor - Letter to the Editor

The article by Anne-Marie Cusac in the July issue, "Abu Ghraib, U.S.A.," mentioned many of the abuses of prisoners by guards, but it didn't bring up the most prevalent form of abuse: rape by prisoners preying on other prisoners. It is estimated that 20 percent to 25 percent of those incarcerated in American prisons are sexually assaulted. Little is being done to stop it. Young, nonviolent prisoners are routinely raped by hardcore violent prisoners. This institutional sexual abuse is cruel and unusual punishment, forbidden by the Constitution, yet until the recent Prison Rape Reduction Act, it has either been ignored or been the subject of bad jokes. Prison administration and staff need to be held accountable for those they have in their control, custody, and care. Prison rape and violence need to be addressed, not ignored.

Jeff Copenhagen

Washburn, Wisconsin

As a Texas prisoner who has suffered severe retaliation for writing articles for publication, I can tell you that Abu Ghraib was born in Texas. It is clear the Bush Administration recruited barbarians to build and implement his incarceration policy for terrorist suspects, starting with Texas-ex prison official O. L. McCotter and Texas-ex Senior White House Counsel Al Gonzales. From there the shit flowed downhill.

William Bryan Sorens

Livingston, Texas

Having just finished reading "Abu...