"The Department of Justice has instructed inspectors to stop evaluating prisons and jails using standards designed to protect transgender, intersex and gender-nonconforming people from sexual violence, according to an internal memo obtained by NPR. This population is uniquely vulnerable to attacks while incarcerated, data shows, and advocates say the change will put such people in even more danger. The memo explains that DOJ is in the process of revising federal standards related to the 2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) in order to align with President Trump's executive order on "gender ideology extremism.""
"According to the DOJ memo, while the revision process is underway, detention centers that undergo PREA audits will no longer be inspected using standards specifically designed to keep LGBTQ and intersex people safe. The facilities include federal prisons, state prisons and jails, juvenile detention centers and immigration detention centers. These inspectors, referred to as auditors, are not employed by the DOJ, but are hired by corrections agencies or by individual facilities. The DOJ certifies the auditors and can decertify them."
"But this is the latest policy move by the Trump administration that removes legal protections for trans people particularly those who are incarcerated. In his first few days in office, Trump upended long-standing federal policies that would allow incarcerated trans women to be housed in a facility that aligns with their gender identity. Trump has also signed an executive order banning transgender troops from serving openly in the military and another restricting gender-affirming care for minors. These orders have faced a host of legal challenges and are still being fought in court."
The Department of Justice instructed auditors to stop evaluating prisons and jails using standards designed to protect transgender, intersex, and gender-nonconforming people from sexual violence while PREA standards are being revised. The revision is intended to align PREA with a January 20 executive order that asserts only two sexes, male and female. During the revision process, detention centers undergoing PREA audits will not be inspected using standards specifically designed to keep LGBTQ and intersex people safe. Covered facilities include federal and state prisons, local jails, juvenile detention centers, and immigration detention centers. Auditors are hired by corrections agencies or facilities but are certified and can be decertified by DOJ.
Read at www.npr.org
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