Hartford – Prison inmates could receive added protections from rape during their incarceration under legislation that has cleared the General Assembly.

A bill that requires Connecticut’s prisons to adopt and comply with the standards of the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission passed the state Senate late Tuesday night as part of a bulk consent calendar vote. The House voted last week to adopt the bill.

A 2010 U.S. Department of Justice report found that 4.4 percent of prison inmates reported one or more instance of rape in a 12-month period. The perpetrators were more likely to be prison staff than fellow inmates, and inmates who were gay, young, or had a bachelor’s degree or higher were most at risk.

Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center in Montville and the York Correctional Institution in Niantic were included in the survey, and were not listed among the most dangerous or least dangerous facilities in regards to rape.

The standards to be followed beginning in October, 2012 include, but are not limited to, zero tolerance for sexual abuse; limiting cross-gender viewing and searches; establishing reporting procedures for inmates and screening inmates for potential risks of abuse.

Department of Correction Commissioner Leo Arnone said in written public hearing testimony this spring that Connecticut’s prisons are already in compliance with the rape protection standards.