Ethics Focus: How Far Should We Go in Protecting Inmates

Essay

Ethics Focus: How Far Should We Go in Protecting Inmates from Each Other?
You are a correctional officer at a maximum-security prison. Recently, an inmate who was considered a bully and sexual predator was raped in the cellblock shower by four other inmates. The victim had himself participated in several previous sexual assaults on younger or weaker inmates. You heard about this assault through the prison grapevine and had confirmed that it had taken place through some reliable sources. The victim had not come forward and more than likely would not. Some of the other officers had indicated that if anyone ever deserved such an assault, it was the inmate in question. In addition, an investigation would require a lot of paperwork and a lot of your time.
-Do you have a duty to report the incident? Explain.