Sexual Victimization Reported by Inmates in Jails and Prisons: BJS’ 2023–24 National Inmate Survey

• In Event: Sexual Offending and Victimization within Criminal Justice Contexts

Abstract

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) conducts the National Inmate Survey (NIS) to generate statistics on the incidence of prison rape, identify facilities with high and low incidence rates, and identify common characteristics of victims, perpetrators, and facilities as required by the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003. Data are collected directly from inmates in a private setting using audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) technology with a touchscreen laptop and an audio feed to maximize inmate confidentiality and minimize literacy issues. The NIS-4 Jails was conducted from February 2023 to February 2024 and included more than 20,000 inmates from 250 local jail facilities. The NIS-4 Prisons was conducted from March 2023 to March 2024 and included more than 25,000 inmates from 177 state and federal prisons. The first report from the NIS-4 Jails, Sexual Victimization in Local Jails Reported by Inmates, 2023–24, includes facility estimates and rankings. BJS also is planning additional NIS-4 Jails reports that will examine victim, perpetrator, and incident characteristics and facility characteristics that are correlated with sexual victimization. BJS plans to release NIS-4 Prisons reports in a similar pattern, with the first report expected in late 2025.

Authors

• Michael B. Field, Bureau of Justice Statistics

• Shelby Kottke-Weaver, Bureau of Justice Statistics