Cuyahoga County Regional Jail System Comprehensive PREA Development Project

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Program provides funding to states, units of local government, and federally recognized Indian tribes 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. The goal of this program is to assist correctional facilities in implementing comprehensive prevention, identification, and response mechanisms that will reduce the incidence of sexual abuse in confinement facilities; promote a culture of “zero tolerance” toward sexual abuse; and support facilities’ efforts to achieve compliance with the PREA standards.

The Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department will use awarded PREA funds to revise and implement jail policies and procedures to ensure compliance with PREA standards and create an infrastructure that enhances prevention of sexual victimization. Grant funds will be used educate inmates on sexual abuse awareness, sexual abuse reporting mechanisms, available information and resources on victim services as well as provide victim support services for inmates of sexual victimization. The program will collect data on incidents of sexual victimization and use the data for performance measurement and improvements. In addition, grant funds will be used to maintain staffing levels in accordance with the PREA standards and train staff on PREA policies and procedures, sexual abuse awareness, high risk and vulnerable populations, and information and resources on victim services.

CA/NCF