Glossary

A wide range of victimizations, separate from rape or attempted rape. These crimes include attacks or attempted attacks generally involving unwanted sexual contact between victim and offender. Sexual assaults may or may not involve force and include such things as grabbing or fondling. Sexual assault also includes verbal threats.

Inmate-on-inmate or youth-on-youth sexual victimization involves nonconsensual sexual acts or abusive contact with a victim without his or her consent or with a victim who cannot consent or refuse.

Nonconsensual sexual acts are the most serious victimizations and include—

• contact between the penis and the vulva or the penis and the anus, including penetration, however slight
• contact between the mouth and the penis, vulva, or anus
• penetration of the anal or genital opening of another person, however slight, by a hand, finger, object, or other instrument.

Abusive sexual contact is less serious and includes intentional touching, either directly or through the clothing, of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks of any person. Incidents in which the contact was incidental to a physical altercation are excluded.

Sexual harassment by another inmate includes—

• repeated and unwelcome sexual advances
• requests for sexual favors
• verbal comments, gestures, or actions of a derogatory or offensive sexual nature.

Staff-on-inmate or staff-on-youth sexual victimization includes both consensual and nonconsensual acts perpetrated on an inmate by staff. Staff includes an employee, volunteer, contractor, official visitor, or other agency representative. Family, friends, and other visitors are excluded.

Staff sexual misconduct includes any consensual or nonconsensual behavior or act of a sexual nature directed toward an inmate by staff, including romantic relationships. Such acts include—

• intentional touching, either directly or through the clothing, of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks that is unrelated to official duties or with the intent to abuse, arouse, or gratify sexual desire
• completed, attempted, threatened, or requested sexual acts
• occurrences of indecent exposure, invasion of privacy, or staff voyeurism for reasons unrelated to official duties or for sexual gratification.

Staff sexual harassment includes repeated verbal comments or gestures of a sexual nature to an inmate by staff. Such statements include—

• demeaning references to an inmate's sex or derogatory comments about his or her body or clothing
• repeated profane or obscene language or gestures.

Sexual victimization reported by inmates or youth includes any forced or coerced sexual acts or activity with another inmate or youth and any sexual acts or activity with facility staff.

Inmate-on-inmate or youth-on-youth sexual victimization involving force or coercion includes:

• Forced or coerced sexual acts—unwanted contacts with another inmate or youth that involved anal or vaginal penetration, oral sex, handjobs, or other sexual acts.
• Other forced or coerced sexual activity—unwanted contacts with another inmate or youth that involved touching of the buttocks, thigh, penis, breasts, or vagina in a sexual way that does not meet the description of forced or coerced sexual acts.

Staff-on-inmate or staff-on-youth sexual victimization includes:

• Sexual acts—any contacts with staff that involved anal or vaginal penetration, oral sex, handjobs, or other sexual acts.
• Other sexual activity—any contacts with staff that involved touching of the buttocks, this, penis, breasts, or vagina in a sexual way that does not meet the description of sexual acts.

Attack without a weapon resulting either in no injury, minor injury (e.g., bruises, black eyes, cuts, scratches, or swelling), or an undetermined injury requiring fewer than two days of hospitalization. Also includes attempted assault without a weapon.

With minor injury - An attack without a weapon resulting in injuries such as bruises, black eyes, cuts, or an undetermined injury requiring fewer than two days of hospitalization.

Without injury - An attempted assault without a weapon but not resulting in injury.

A measure of the sampling error associated with an estimate. The standard error of a sample estimate is a measure of the variation among a sample estimate and all of the possible sample estimates that could be obtained.

Conditional release with post-custody supervision generally occurring in jurisdictions using determinate sentencing statutes.

Completed or attempted theft of property or cash without personal contact. Incidents involving theft of property from within the sample household are classified as theft if the offender has a legal right to be in the house (e.g., a maid, delivery person, or guest). If the offender has no legal right to be in the house, the incident is classified as a burglary.

Completed theft - To successfully take without permission property or cash without personal contact between the victim and offender.

Attempted theft - To unsuccessfully attempt to take property or cash without personal contact.

The longest length of time as stated by the court that the offender could be required to serve.