CHLP and Partners Submit Comments to the DOJ on Youth in State Custody, Comprehensive Sexual Health Care, and Eliminating Sexual Assault (2011)

On April 4, 2011, the Center for HIV Law and Policy submitted comments on the Department of Justice's (DOJ) proposed standards for the prevention, detection, and response to prison rape on behalf of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, HIV Prevention Justice Alliance, HEAT, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Equity Project, HiTOPS, the African American Office of Gay Concerns, Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana, New Jersey Parent's Caucus, Inc., the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, and Massachusetts Commission on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth.

These comments urge the DOJ to implement standards in its final rulemaking that reflect the connection between providing comprehensive sexual health care to youth and protecting the sexual health and safety of detainees in juvenile facilities. Such sexual health care includes sexual medical care and sexual health education for youth and LGBTQ cultural competency training for staff, volunteers, and contractors.

In May 2010, the Center for HIV Law and Policy submitted comments in response to the DOJ's first set of proposed standards. Those comments can be found here.