34 U.S.C. § 30309: Definitions

Summary

Defines the important words used in this chapter. It explains terms like carnal knowledge (contact between a penis and a vulva or anus, including any slight penetration); inmate (anyone held in a facility while accused, convicted, sentenced, or under parole, probation, pretrial release, or a diversion program); jail (a place run by law enforcement that holds people awaiting charges or serving sentences of 1 year or less); HIV (human immunodeficiency virus); oral sodomy (mouth-to-genitals or mouth-to-anus contact); police lockup (short-term holding for people awaiting bail or transport, intoxicated people until release, or juveniles until parents or shelter take them); prison (any government-run or government-contracted confinement, including jails, lockups, and juvenile custody); prison rape (rape of someone in the custody or control of prison staff); rape (carried out by force, when a person can’t consent because of age or disability, or by using fear or threats, and covering carnal knowledge, oral sodomy, object penetration, or sexual touching); sexual assault with an object (using a hand, finger, or object to penetrate the genitals or anus, however slight); and sexual fondling (touching private body parts for sexual reasons). The definitions of rape and sexual assault with an object do not apply to custodial or medical staff collecting evidence or giving legitimate medical care while investigating prison rape, to medical treatment unrelated to prison rape, or to body-cavity searches done by health staff for safety and security if carried out according to constitutional rules.

Title 34, §30309

Navy, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

(1)Carnal knowledge

The term “carnal knowledge” means contact between the penis and the vulva or the penis and the anus, including penetration of any sort, however slight.

(2)Inmate

The term “inmate” means any person incarcerated or detained in any facility who is accused of, convicted of, sentenced for, or adjudicated delinquent for, violations of criminal law or the terms and conditions of parole, probation, pretrial release, or diversionary program.

(3)Jail

The term “jail” means a confinement facility of a Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency to hold—

(A)persons pending adjudication of criminal charges; or

(B)persons committed to confinement after adjudication of criminal charges for sentences of 1 year or less.

(4)HIV

The term “HIV” means the human immunodeficiency virus.

(5)Oral sodomy

The term “oral sodomy” means contact between the mouth and the penis, the mouth and the vulva, or the mouth and the anus.

(6)Police lockup

The term “police lockup” means a temporary holding facility of a Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency to hold—

(A)inmates pending bail or transport to jail;

(B)inebriates until ready for release; or

(C)juveniles pending parental custody or shelter placement.

(7)Prison

The term “prison” means any confinement facility of a Federal, State, or local government, whether administered by such government or by a private organization on behalf of such government, and includes—

(A)any local jail or police lockup; and

(B)any juvenile facility used for the custody or care of juvenile inmates.

(8)Prison rape

The term “prison rape” includes the rape of an inmate in the actual or constructive control of prison officials.

(9)Rape

The term “rape” means—

(A)the carnal knowledge, oral sodomy, sexual assault with an object, or sexual fondling of a person, forcibly or against that person’s will;

(B)the carnal knowledge, oral sodomy, sexual assault with an object, or sexual fondling of a person not forcibly or against the person’s will, where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his or her youth or his or her temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity; or

(C)the carnal knowledge, oral sodomy, sexual assault with an object, or sexual fondling of a person achieved through the exploitation of the fear or threat of physical violence or bodily injury.

(10)Sexual assault with an object

The term “sexual assault with an object” means the use of any hand, finger, object, or other instrument to penetrate, however slightly, the genital or anal opening of the body of another person.

(11)Sexual fondling

The term “sexual fondling” means the touching of the private body parts of another person (including the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks) for the purpose of sexual gratification.

(12)Exclusions

The terms and conditions described in paragraphs (9) and (10) shall not apply to—

(A)custodial or medical personnel gathering physical evidence, or engaged in other legitimate medical treatment, in the course of investigating prison rape;

(B)the use of a health care provider’s hands or fingers or the use of medical devices in the course of appropriate medical treatment unrelated to prison rape; or

(C)the use of a health care provider’s hands or fingers and the use of instruments to perform body cavity searches in order to maintain security and safety within the prison or detention facility, provided that the search is conducted in a manner consistent with constitutional requirements.

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 15609 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

§30309 Definitions

Summary

Title 34, §30309

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

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