FY22 Georgia PREA Grant Program

Georgia’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (GDJJ), a state governmental agency, is requesting $177,099 to assist in implementing a comprehensive Demonstration Project that meets the standards of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA). GDJJ will be the lead organization responsible for the operational aspects of the project while partnering with external sources for training and technology implementation.

The GDJJ first statewide PREA coordinator, hired in 2012, unified Georgia’s GDJJ Task Force findings and combined them with PREA National Standards. Today, a GDJJ oversight committee routinely monitors and reviews all Georgia juvenile detention centers for PREA standards compliance. In 2012, PREA National Standards were integrated into more than 50 pre-existing GDJJ policies to ensure an overriding agency protocol encouraging all GDJJ facilities, residential programs, and offices to comply with applicable laws. Also beginning in 2012, all public and private agencies contracting with GDJJ for the confinement of youths include a legal obligation to adopt and comply with PREA standards as part of their new contract or contract renewal.

Georgia began implementing PREA standards throughout the GDJJ system by first creating a Safety and Security Task Force that was divided into four subgroups, with select members from the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Georgia Department of Corrections, GDJJ and the GDJJ Board. Each task force subgroup was responsible for making inspection visits at GDJJ secured facilities and for completing safety and security reports on areas directly impacted by strict PREA requirements.

This proposal seeks to enhance to address the priority considerations in category 1A: applicants that focus on the implementation of PREA standards that address the sexual safety of people who are incarcerated and experience high rates of sexual victimization identified in this solicitation. More information can be found on pages 9-11 and 13-14 of the program narrative. If awarded the grant, funds will be utilized to address priorities set by the GDJJ PREA Taskforce: contracting with other entities for the confinement of residents, employee training, limits to cross-gender viewing and searches, and screening for risk of victimization and abusiveness and obtaining information from residents.

To demonstrate program progress and success, CJCC will collect performance measures on a quarterly basis through BJA’s Performance Measurement Tool (PMT). CJCC staff will continue to offer technical assistance, conduct desk reviews, and perform site visits to support the continual improvement and effective use of funds.