PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act)

PREA criminalizes any sexual relationship between correctional officers and inmates because of the “imbalance of power”

In addition to the risk of depression and suicide, transgender people experience sexual violence, harassment and other adverse conditions at higher rates than the general population

A federal monitor found inmates were “weaponizing” PREA and using it as a way to threaten officers and retaliate against them

The state's policy does not require transgender inmates to undergo gender-reassignment surgery to be held in the facility

Are Department of Justice-certified PREA auditors permitted to conduct any part of the onsite portion of the PREA audit remotely?

While video is key in enhancing facility security, it also carries risks that must be addressed to reduce liability for the agency and its officers

What happens to PREA timetables when agencies are preoccupied with preventing coronavirus spread?

Anyone in a correctional facility who has access to inmates should receive PREA training on how to detect and prevent inmate sexual abuse and harassment. Risk management expert and Lexipol co-founder Gordon Graham details what to expect during a PREA audit in this tip. 

Click here for more tips from Gordon. 

The challenge in corrections is not identifying topics to train on, but prioritizing time and resources to cover the many subjects that can lead to high-risk situations

Facilities should consider using official PREA standards for compliance as a guideline for best practice to mitigate risk, regardless of their certification status

As sexual assaults inside corrections facilities are unusual and shocking, COs can sometimes forget key parts of their job responsibilities