JDI Secures Crisis Counseling for Prisoner Rape Survivors in California

June 8, 2009 |
Valor

Just Detention International (JDI) has been working closely with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and rape crisis centers throughout California to create a network of counseling for inmates.
JDI indicated in their recent newsletter that, “each prison, its local rape crisis center, and JDI have signed a three-way memorandum of understanding (MOU), formalizing their collaboration. By agreeing to post placards inside its prisons, the CDCR has also made sure that inmates know how to contact both the participating rape crisis center and JDI.” Currently, 31 of California’s 33 adult prisons have signed MOU’s.
Sergeant Robert Patterson of the California Institution for Women (CIW) has been working closely with the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center and said:

This project has brought a new awareness to the CDCR. Rape crisis counselors are the experts in the area of sexual abuse, and they are only a phone call away, 24-hours a day. In the past, we didn’t even know that.

JDI’s Deputy Executive Director, Linda McFarlane, explained:

Rape is devastating regardless of where it occurs. Survivors in prison are not able to leave the environment where the assault occurred – indeed, many are forced to continue living with the perpetrator. Thanks to the CDCR’s willingness to collaborate with JDI and local counselors, survivors can now get basic support to begin healing.

Learn more about Just Detention International (JDI) by clicking here.