Former inmate Jessica Kent has opened up on prison life and claimed that prison guards are having sex with inmates ‘all the time’ but says that it’s often for the wrong reasons
A former inmate has claimed that prison guards are having sex with prisoners ‘all the time’.
Jessica Kent, who first got into trouble with the law at nine years old, served time for drug and firearm offences before having a baby in prison and deciding to turn her life around. Jessica revealed that she witnessed a lot of sexual activity in jail, either between inmates or between inmates and prison guards. Even though most women agreed to have sex with the prison guards, it was technically rape, she said.
In her podcast, she explained: “It is against the law. The reason for this is that the prison guards are in positions of power over the inmates, and so inmates can’t make their own decisions when it comes to sexual relationships in prison.”
However, Jessica pointed out that there are many reasons why women end up having sex with the men and sometimes women who are paid to guard them, reports The Daily Star. She added: “It is a very common thing that inmates will flirt with the corrections officers, I’ve seen it first hand.
“This is essentially for many reasons; the first one being boredom. We’re bored, we have nothing else to do. Yes you have a prison job and all that stuff but boredom is probably the number one reason.
“Number two; we all have needs. We all have needs and when those needs are not being met you try to find how you can meet those needs so that’s another reason. Another very obvious reason is because inmates want commissary [prison shop for luxury goods]. They want to try to find a relationship, whether that’s in the street, whether that’s another female in prison, or a guard, they want to facilitate some kind of relationship so that they can get commissary.”
It’s not just about getting extra treats like chocolate or fancy shampoo that makes prisoners want to be close with guards. Jessica spoke about Tina Gonzalez, a 26-year-old officer at Fresno County jail who was caught sneaking in a phone, alcohol, and even razor blades for an inmate she liked.
A court heard how Gonzales had even cut a hole in her uniform to make it easier for her to have sex with an inmate. “The crazy thing is she would do that in full view of inmates,” Jessica says.
Sex in jail is also usually over fairly quickly. “It’s not like they can have these long, passionate drawn-out scenes like you see on Orange is the New Black, where they got all the time in the world in the shower and it’s some beautiful thing,” Jessica said. “It’s ‘get it and leave’ – it is a very fast thing, those people are at risk of being caught at all times.”
Jessica shared that sometimes the relationships between prisoners and guards can turn from exploitation into outright abuse. She said: “I was in a facility where the chaplain was found guilty of sexually assaulting five women and he got five years. To put that into perspective, I also got five years in the state of Arkansas for selling drugs, and he tormented and sexually assaulted five women that I knew on a weekly basis in the chaplain’s office.”
She spoke about former chaplain Kenneth Dewitt, who was sentenced to 10 years each on three counts of third-degree sexual assault. Jessica described Dewitt as “an absolute freaking monster of a human being”. After the Dewitt case, the walls of the chaplain’s office at the McPherson Women’s Unit in Newport, Arkansas, were knocked down and replaced with glass screens. But Jessica says no matter what precautions are taken, people will always be tempted.
She added: “You wouldn’t think that officers would enter into these relationships with inmates but it happens. You can’t help where you fall in love, and a lot of these people genuinely believe that they’re in love. You also wouldn’t think that a corrections officer would risk their job to bring in drugs but that happens at an alarming rate.
“They bring in alcohol, they bring in phones, they bring drugs, they bring in cigarettes to non-smoking facilities because it’s worth a lot of freaking money. Prison guards don’t get paid that well and they can make thousands of dollars by bringing in everyday things like cigarettes and lighters.”
If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Victim Support for free, confidential advice on 08 08 16 89 111 or visit their website.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
