Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

PREA Unanimously passed both houses of Congress in 2003. It was the first federal law to address sexual abuse in detention (prisons, jails, juvenile facilities, lockups, community confinement) requiring data collection efforts, a grant program, a bipartisan commission, and national standards.
•No one deserves to be sexually abused
•Sexual abuse in detention is unacceptable and not part of the punishment
•Tolerating sexual abuse in detention is harmful to individual inmates & to the SA movement
•Sexual abuse is a crime no matter where it is committed.
•Sexual abuse in detention jeopardizes safety & security of everyone
Check out NCCASA’s PREA Webinars for more information specific to advocates

PREA Timeline:

•2003 – Passage of Legislation
•2009 – DOJ receives the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission (NPREC) draft standards & begins rulemaking process
•2012 – DOJ issues final standards, which are immediate applicable to the Federal Bureau of Prisons
•2013 – First 3 year audit cycle begins August 20, 2013
•2014 – FFY 2014 is the first year for potential grant reductions through DOJ grants to states

PREA Standards:

– Released by DOJ on May 17, 2012
– Applies to corrections facilities nationwide
– Comprehensive set of guidelines related to all aspects of custodial sexual abuse:

  • Prevention
  • Detection
  • Response
  • Monitoring and Data Collection

– A three (3) year audit compliance process
– One third of each type of facility operated by an agency, or private organization on behalf of any agency, audited every year.
– Audits began August 2013

PREA Resources for download:

PREA Standards
PREA Fact Sheet
OVW FAQs on STOP and PREA Certification
NCJA State PREA Penalties
PREA Compliance

PREA Resource Links:

Just Detention International
PREA Resource Center
American University – Washington College Law
NC Department of Public Safety

PREA – The North Carolina Approach

Download this document here.

PREA Advocacy & Advisory Board:

Robin Colbert, NCCASA, [email protected]
Brynn Fann, NCCASA, [email protected]

Region A (Western)
Ashe County Partnership for Children /A Safe Home for Everyone (ASHE)
Our Voice, Inc., Buncombe
Buncombe County Detention Facility, Buncombe
Macon County Sheriff’s Office, Macon
Safe, Inc., Transylvania

Region B (Northwestern)
Family Services of the Piedmont, Guilford
Orange County Rape Crisis Center
Crossroads, Alamance
Help, Inc., Rockingham County

Region C (Southwestern)
Safe Alliance, Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, Mecklenburg
Esther’s House, Stanly/Cabarrus
Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, Alexander

Region D (Central)
Durham Crisis Response Center, Durham
Interact, Wake

Region E (Southeastern)
Families First, Inc, Bladen/Columbus
Promise Place, Craven/Pamlico/Jones
Carteret County Rape Crisis, Carteret
Rape Crisis Center of Coastal Horizons Center, Inc., New Hanover/Brunswick

Region F (Northeastern)
REAL Crisis Intervention, Pitt/Martin/Washington/Beaufort
My Sister’s House, Nash/Edgecombe

Charlotte Jordan-Williams, NC PREA Administrator
Bernetta Thigpen, Council for Women Northern Piedmont Region Director

PREA Advocacy & Advisory Board Responsibilities

Purpose: In Collaboration with NCCASA, Develop the Partnership, Process, and Preparation needed for PREA Implementation & Victim Advocacy Services

Members: Local Rape Crisis Centers, Correction Officials, Allied Professionals

Responsibilities: Program Development and Training Consultation

Partnerships: Mirror statewide approach within region

  • Provide guidance to RCCs, Correction Officials, Allied Professionals and to Community Organizations.
  • Assist in educational & training needs that include but not limited to, workshops, roundtables,  seminars, trainings & presentations
  • Create samples of standardize forms, letters, and other resource documents
  • Distribute information to community at large regarding PREA.
  • Collect and provide NCCASA with local and region information for the purposes of determining needs and work collaboratively with NCCASA to advocate for change.
  • Engage in systems advocacy as needed for individuals and groups.
  • Provide referrals to resources.
  • Attend conferences, education seminars, webinar, and trainings.
  • Remain current on local, regional, state, and federal resources.
  • Serve on boards and task forces to further PREA goals.

NCCASA PREA Webinars 

The webinars NCCASA has hosted related to PREA have been archived on our PREA Webinar page. Check it out for more advocate-specific information and resources about PREA.