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Transgender Inmates

NCJ Number
187829
Author(s)
Jake Blight
Date Published
September 2000
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This summary of a longer report on transgender inmates in Australia addresses the definition of "transgender"; the prevalence of transgender persons in the general population; related issues for Australian corrections services; classification issues; self-harm and sexual assault; hormonal and surgical intervention; and the need for statistics, further research, and consistent policy development.
Abstract
Transgender persons are those for whom sex (physical characteristics) and gender (self-identity and social-identity) is not always congruent. This paper documents the need to have appropriate policies in place for the management of transgender inmates. Transgender inmates present a unique set of issues that, if not appropriately addressed, could lead to a greatly increased incidence of assault and self-harm in that population. Failure to implement appropriate policies may also constitute a breach of anti-discrimination legislation and/or human rights obligations. Issues that need to be addressed as a priority in correctional policy include choice of institution, classification procedures, measures to reduce risk of assault and self-harm, the provision (or otherwise) of hormonal and/or surgical intervention, as well as the need for a mechanism to identify and record the incidence of transgender persons in the prison population. 2 tables and 20 references