Virginia Department of Correction Prison Rape Elimination Act Demonstration Project

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Program provides funding to states, units of local government, 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 Virginia Department of Corrections will use award grant funds to develop and implement model programs to increase safety at all of its 38 adult correctional facilities, affecting an average daily institutional offender population of 30,164. While the project is designed to have statewide impact, model staff training and inmate education programs will be piloted at Fluvanna Correctional Center, Sussex II State Prison, and Haynesville Correctional Center. In addition, VADOC will conduct facility culture assessments at all three pilot sites, as well as Brunswick Reception Center, a women's facility, and Wallens Ridge State Prison. CA/NCF