PREA Reallocation - Arkansas

The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Intergovernmental Services (DFA-IGS) will utilize the Fiscal Year 2022, PREA reallocation funds for the following goals: 

Work toward certifying full compliance of the PREA National Standards for state and local confinement facilities in Arkansas
Increase staff capacity for preventing sexual abuse in confinement facilities
Promote integration of the PREA Standards into agency policies and procedures, and the day-to-day operations of confinement facilities
create cultures of “zero tolerance” of sexual abuse in confinement facilities

The Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Intergovernmental Services will administer JAG/SORNA funding for this grant and will pass through the funding on as a disbursement/reimbursement basis to PREA subrecipients (confinement facilities). PREA Fiscal Year 2022 reallocation funds will be utilized to plan, assess, and implement develop action plans. The PREA reallocation funding will also support the following activities.

Preventing and responding to sexual abuse and sexual harassment in confinement facilities.
Training staff and educating inmates/residents/detainees.
Screening inmates/residents/detainees for risk of sexual victimization and abusiveness.
Reporting sexual abuse and sexual harassment.
Investigating allegations of sexual victimization.
Disciplining staff members and inmates/residents/detainees.
Providing medical and mental health care.
Collecting and reviewing data related to sexual victimization.
Auditing and undergoing corrective action.

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) required federal, state, and local institutions to detect, deter, and respond to sexual abuse in all confinement settings. Currently, Arkansas is not PREA compliant. The goals of both the Division of Youth Services (DYS) and the Arkansas Department of Correction (DOC) are to provide safety for citizens housed in their facilities. By reallocating funds to DYS and DOC, the departments will improve their goal of being fully PREA compliant. DYS plans to utilize funds to reach the overarching goal of becoming PREA compliant, while the DOC’s goals are specified. The DOC intends to use reallocated funds to increase PREA awareness through training and to hire external auditors to conduct PREA audits. In conclusion, by distributing funds to DYS and DOC, it is our belief that both departments will have the capability to progress towards full PREA compliance.