Blackburn, Cotton Introduce Bill to Double Penalty for Assault of Federal Correctional Officers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) introduced the Safer Prisons Act to double the maximum term of imprisonment for assaulting a Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) correctional officer: “Federal prisons have become increasingly unsafe for the brave men and women who serve as federal corrections officers. Incidents of inmates assaulting BOP officers have been on the rise and often result in PTSD for the affected officers as they continue to do their jobs,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Safer Prisons Act would deter these acts of violence by doubling the criminal penalties for assaulting a BOP correctional officer.” “Assaulting a federal corrections officer is completely unacceptable,” said Senator Cotton. “Our bill would double the criminal penalties for these criminals that attack our officers.” BACKGROUND The Safer Prisons Act is intended to address a startling increase in violence targeting correctional officers in federal prisons. These incidents endanger correctional officers and foster an intolerable and violent environment within the walls of the prison facilities in which they occur, placing inmates at an increased risk of harm as well.