FY 2022 Prison Rape Elimination Act Reallocation Award

FY22 Prison Rape Elimination Act

Reallocation Funds

Applicant Name: The West Virginia Division of Administrative Services/Justice and Community Services

Project Title: Prison Rape Elimination Act Grant Program

      The West Virginia Division of Administrative Services/Justice and Community is designated the State Administrative Agency (SAA) for PREA funding awarded to the State of West Virginia. In order to obtain compliance, The Division plans to award all allocated funds to the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR)

      West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) is a state agency that is in the midst of a critical transition. For years, its corrections have been plagued by sexual abuse – abuse that has been DCR documented both by government studies and by dozens of civil lawsuits.  DCR leadership is committed to turning its prisons around and establishing and maintaining a zero-tolerance culture for sexual abuse and harassment. While DCR has made significant progress in developing new policies and programs to address sexual victimization, funding from the Division of Justice and Bureau of Justice Assistance will enable DCR to: build on these efforts by ensuring that its PREA policies truly reflect best practices in sexual abuse prevention and response; implement PREA policies, inmate education, and victim support services in pilot facilities with very high rates of sexual victimization; and provide all prison staff with the training and support they need to embrace the spirit and principles of PREA and build lasting culture change.