Essex County PREA Expansion Program

Authorized under the Prison Rape Elimination Act, the FY20 PREA Program: Implementing the PREA Standards, Protecting Inmates, and Safeguarding Communities will assist confinement facilities and the agencies that oversee them in implementing prevention, identification, and response mechanisms that reduce the incidence of sexual abuse in these facilities, and to promote compliance with the PREA standards. Program funds will be used to support efforts of state, local, and tribal jurisdictions to prevent, detect, and respond to sexual abuse in confinement facilities covered by the PREA standards; promote comprehensive implementation of the standards; and enhance community safety by decreasing the likelihood that inmates, residents, and detainees are sexually victimized in confinement facilities prior to release.

The recipient will use funds to assist confinement facilities and the agencies that oversee them in preventing, identifying, and responding to sexual abuse and sexual harassment in these facilities, and to support compliance with the PREA standards. Specifically, a portion of funds will be used to expand existing PREA program through evidenced-based practices in the prevention, detection and response to inmate sexual assault, abusive behaviors and sexual harassment. Collaboratively with the medical/mental health provider, the recipient will concentrate on strengthening the response to reported and unreported sexual assault on incarcerated individuals. The recipient will develop a planned and phased approach that leverages partnership input to address policy, training, and program implementation.

CA/NCF