Sex in prison is nothing new. But Kentucky's corrections chief says sex between officers and inmates is getting worse.

“It’s a big problem all across the country,” says John Rees.

According to the corrections department, ten officers have been fired or disciplined in connection with improper relationships or sex with inmates since 2004. Other officers have resigned for behavior the commissioner says, causes security problems:

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“Once there’s that relationship, there’s the request or the potential for introduction of contraband, looking the other way on an escape,” Rees says.

Some prison officers face criminal charges, but only misdemeanors. Former officer Rebecca Hatcher was placed on two years diversion, no jail time, after entering an Alford plea for an inappropriate relationship with a male inmate at Luther Luckett Prison. Shelia Kelley did the same thing and got the same deal.

And trials are scheduled for two former officers at the women's prison in PeWee Valley. Darren Watkins is accused of having sex with an inmate, Terrence Williams for allegedly being Watkins’s lookout. All were charged with misdemeanors because Kentucky is one of just five states where sex between correctional officers and inmates is not a felony. Commissioner Rees is asking state lawmakers to change that.

Defense attorneys to whom we talked say they want correctional officers who misuse their power to be severely punished, but aren't sure Kentucky needs new laws to do that.

“My experience tells me it doesn’t happen often enough for that to be the source of specific legislation,” says attorney Rob Riley.

Corrections chief John Rees says the biggest problem is in male prisons, with female officers having sex with male inmates.

He also says, with the exception of the women's prison cases being tried in Shelby County, prosecutors aren't pushing hard enough for jail time for correctional officers who are having inappropriate relationships with prisoners, and putting their fellow guards at risk.

Web story produced by Jay Ditzer.