Implementing the PREA Standards, Protecting Inmates,and Safeguarding Communities

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 update PREA educational materials and increase staff training and awareness regarding transgender and intersex residents. In addition, the recipient will fund critical updates to offender management systems for tracking vulnerable and aggressive inmates; allowing better tracking of incidents of sexual abuse and sexual harassment, assisting in monitoring for retaliation, transgender, and intersex inmates, incident reviews, and screening for risk of victimization and aggressiveness. Lastly, funds will allow the recipient to develop and streamline critical reporting mechanisms, such as an improved multi-lingual reporting hotline and increasing staff training awareness regarding transgender and intersex residents.

CA/NCF