Walking the Talk: Phase II PREA Implementation

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 recipient will utilize the FY15 PREA Program: Demonstration Projects to Establish “Zero Tolerance” Cultures for Sexual Assault in Correctional Facilities funds to support the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SDOC). Funds will be utilized to focus on the following areas in four pilot sites for SDOC’s Phase II PREA Implementation: (1) adopting a lasting culture change that can be replicated agency-wide, (2) expanding the use of subject matter experts in regional and facility staffing groups, (3) implementing facility specific coaching on key issues, and (4) inmate leadership development with correctional agencies struggling with turning PREA policies into effective practices. CA/NCF