PREA Requirements in Washington State Department of Corrections

The Washington State Department of Corrections (WADOC) PREA Program Abstract Washington’s Department of Corrections (WADOC) has on-going efforts to comply with all PREA standard elements. There are three key areas of focus for improvement for PREA practices in within WADOC. WADOC will use a dedicated Correctional Specialist 4 to: 1) aid the Director of PREA Services in audit review and analysis of both individual facility and systemic issues and in the development of procedures, policies, and systems to ensure that PREA compliance is both continuous and improved; 2) provide policy updates and ensure compliance with DOJ standards; 3) evaluate and analyze prior corrective action to from previous audit to identify common trends; organizational training and education for correctional staff and incarcerated individuals; coordinate, manage, and implement the recommendations from gap analysis report and national best practices; and 4) conduct detailed PREA investigations which include interviewing employees, incarcerated individuals, volunteers, and contractors.