Consistent with the policy of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003 (Public Law 108-79, 108th Congress), incidents of sexual activity, sexual harassment, and solicitation to engage in non-consensual sexual activity, sexual harassment, and solicitation to engage in sexual activity will not be tolerated at the 5-C Rehabilitation Center. 5-C has policies and procedures that establish a Zero-Tolerance environment for sexual abuse in the 5-C Detention and Youth Rehabilitation Center. Prevention of sexual abuse is a top priority in the facility.
The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was passed in 2003 with unanimous support from both parties in Congress. PREA was signed into law by President Bush - September 4, 2003. TheNational Standard Recommendations were submitted July 23, 2009, by the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission. The final rules were published May 16, 2012Code of Federal Regulations (28 CFR Part 115).
The purpose of the act was to provide for the analysis of the incidence and effects of prison rape in Federal, State, and local institutions and to provide information, resources, recommendations and funding to protect individuals form prison rape.(Prison Rape Elimination Act, 2003) In addition to creating a mandate for significant research from the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the National Institute of Corrections supported major efforts in many state correctional, juvenile detention, community corrections, and jail systems.
Goals of PREA Include:
I. Zero Tolerance’ mandate.
II. Make prevention a top priority.
III. Development and implementation of national standards that address detection, prevention, reduction & punishment related to sexual abuses.
IV. Increase the availability and reliability of data on sexual abuse in prisons.
V. Standardized definitions of ‘Prisoner Sexual Abuse’ for data collection
VI. Increase accountability of corrections officials.
VII. Protect 8th Amendment rights of prisoners to be free from cruel and unusual punishment.
To view the National PREA Standards, click here; www.prearesourcecenter.org