I'm deeply ambivalent about programs like these and honestly don't know what to think about them.

On the one hand, gays and transgendered people are vastly more likely to be targeted for rape while in custody, which is clearly a sort of unequal punishment that ought to be stopped. (Whether this makes gays and transgendered people more law-abiding than they otherwise would be is an interesting but unrelated question. I do suspect that if rape were a standard part of the prison sentence for everyone, far fewer crimes would occur.)

On the other hand, I don't really think that anyone should be given preferential treatment, either, while they are in custody. An equitable solution would be the best, but then, that would require an honest discussion of male-on-male rape, which I don't think our society cares to have. We may joke about it -- and many even rationalize, disgustingly, that gays must surely enjoy being raped -- but the problem is all too real.

Jason Kuznicki

First, you may not understand what Riker's Island is. It is not a prison.

A few years ago, an artist friend of my wife's had a breakup/fight with his girlfriend, also a painter, in her studio. In the course of their fight, a whole bunch of her paintings were damaged.

The next day, he got a call from her asking to meet him at her studio. When he showed up, he was greeted by the NYPD. She said he damaged the paintings, he said she did it to them herself in a rage. Nevertheless, the cops cuffed him and sent him off to Riker's Island for the weekend as it was a Friday afternoon. When it finally came to trial, their case was dismissed, because she had skipped town and the trial.

All manner of people have spent time there. Gay or straight, these ordinary people can get brutalized one way or another by some of the most vicous criminals on the face of the planet. Again, these people have not been convicted of any crimes. They deserve protection.

Secondly, who rationalizes that gay guys enjoy being raped? Do these same cretins think that women enjoy it? I'm not sure why you brought it up. It's disturbing.

I believe strongly in segregated prisons. What I believe we should do is segregate non-violent offenders from violent ones at all levels with the exception of people who are in situations like John's friend. People who have no record of other violence including previous incidences of domestic violence shouldn't be in with people convicted of assault, rape and murder.

Clarification: our friend wound up in the Tombs, not Riker's Island. However, Riker's Island is again, not a prison, it is a pre-trial and during-trial holding area.

JohnS --

I understand that Rikers Island is a jail, not a prison. I belive my comments were structured to include both situations, however, and I think it makes little difference whether you are raped in jail or in prison. Both are unjustified, and it's not as though it becomes okay in the latter. I mean, since when did rape become part of the lawful punishments of the land?

As to evidence of people thinking that it's alright to rape a man in prison because he happens to be gay, see this site:

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/prison/voices.html