PREA Program: Demonstration Project to Establish Zero-Tolerance

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Program provides funding to states, units of local governments, and federally recognized Indian tribes to support comprehensive approaches within state, tribal, and local adult and juvenile correctional facilities to prevent, detect, and respond to incidences of sexual victimization. The PREA Program provides funding to eligible applicants for demonstration projects within confinement settings, including adult prisons and jails; juvenile facilities; community corrections facilities; law enforcement lockups and other temporary holding facilities; and tribal detention facilities. Applicants must successfully communicate a comprehensive approach to the prevention, detection, and response to the incidence of sexual abuse and clearly prioritize gaps which are as of yet unaddressed, either programmatically or through changes in policy and procedures, as they relate to implementation of the PREA standards. The goal of this program is to assist local adult and juvenile facilities in implementing prevention, identification, and response mechanisms that will reduce the incidence of sexual abuse in confinement facilities.

The grantee will use awarded grant funds to develop a multifaceted, collaborative model that ensures sexual safety in correctional facilities throughout Washington State. The planned model includes several consultant-led components such as cultural and sexual safety assessments for prison, jail, work release, and inpatient treatment facilities. Funding will support the review and revision of staff training options to enhance sexual safety and provide for managerial training and culture change support for the Department's executive leadership team. Funding will also provide for the development of a PREA toolkit that is tailored to Washington State and incorporates the Department's correctional divisions as well as key components unique to jail settings. Each strategy will include a train the trainer component utilizing subject matter experts for continued facility assessments, training, and leadership development.
CA/NCF