Andrew, let us not forget the words of Bill Lockyer, California’s Attorney-General and thus the man who represents the state’s “justice” system, speaking in 2002 re Ken Lay:

“I would love to personally escort Lay to an 8 x 10 cell that he could share with a tattooed dude who says, ‘Hi, my name is Spike, honey.’”

No-one should have to endure rape as a consequence of incarceration. And, while that may be impossible to guarantee, the indifference by the authorities to ongoing nightly sexual assault is a disgrace. When Rich and I were visiting Gitmo, we were told that it’s a rare example of a detention facility that is entirely HIV free. In part, that’s because of the particular talent pool from which the inmates are drawn, but it’s also because, if there were understood to be routine assault and HIV infection going on in Guantanamo, it would quite rightly be a mark of shame upon the supervisory regime. Domestic prisoners are entitled to expect no less from the county jail.