BJA FY 15 PREA Program

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 New Mexico Corrections Department. Funds will be used to develop a coordinated approach to sexual abuse prevention and response across adult and youth facilities through staff training and leadership development; the development of sexual abuse response protocols; education programs for inmates/residents; and policy review. The goals of this project are to (1) establish a consistent, trauma-informed response to sexual abuse within all facilities, (2) stimulate culture change through staff leadership development and education programs, and (3) reform Juvenile Justice Service’s policies to comply with PREA. CA/NCF