The prison system has become a hot topic of discussion since Orange is the New Black first aired on Netflix. A show based on Piper Kerman's time in Danbury prison, it has made many people question the very complicated US prison system. Although the show obviously exaggerates aspects of prison life to amp up drama and interest, it has also brought to light how convoluted and obscure the system is.

Enter now the York Correctional Institute in Niantic, CT. An all women's prison facility, it's had its fair share of Orange is the New Black-level drama this year. Earlier this summer, three prison guards were convicted of sexually assaulting a prisoner during her sentence there. This disgusting abuse of power that is present all over the country's prisons makes one wonder, Why on earth would anyone think it would be a good idea to add windows to the bathroom and shower stalls? This recent addition (to the minimum security section) of the YCI allows the correction officers to view the inmates showering and using the bathroom whenever they happen to walk by.

Correctional officers in women's prisons are 70 percent male. This adds to the mental powerlessness that the inmates feel, not to mention the obvious physical disadvantages a female prisoner has against a male assailant. This disadvantage shows in more than 200,000 inmates that are sexually assaulted each year - that's about 25 sexual assaults happening each hour.

The craziest part about this statistic is that there are about 90,500 rape cases reported outside of prison. That means that two thirds of all rape cases reported in the US happen within the prison system.

With these disgusting statistics, it's impossible to understand why a minimum security women's prison had to have windows installed in the bathrooms for anything other than the obscene viewing pleasure of the correctional officers. It's a ridiculous abuse of power, and an addition that is almost entirely unnecessary.