Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act

This bill aims to protect federal prison staff from sexual harassment and assault by people in custody. It makes the Bureau of Prisons follow watchdog recommendations to fix weak data tracking and prevention efforts, then requires new national standards to prevent, reduce, and punish these behaviors in prisons .

The Bureau of Prisons must fully carry out all recommendations from a 2023 Inspector General report within 90 days or explain the delay and give a timeline. After the Bureau finishes those steps, the Inspector General will analyze updated data from fiscal years 2022–2025, including how punishments are used. Then, within a year of getting that analysis, the Attorney General must issue national standards for prevention, reduction, and punishment of inmate-on-staff sexual harassment and assault. The bill defines sexual harassment and sexual assault and focuses on protecting correctional officers and other Bureau employees .

Key points

• Who is affected: Correctional officers and other Bureau of Prisons employees; incarcerated individuals in federal prisons; the Department of Justice and its Inspector General .
• What changes: The Bureau must implement the 2023 Inspector General recommendations; provide data for review; and follow new national standards set by the Attorney General on prevention, reduction, and punishment .
• When it happens: Bureau implementation due within 90 days of enactment; Inspector General analysis due within 1 year after implementation; Attorney General standards due within 1 year after that analysis is received .