The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was passed in 2003
Its purpose is 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 from prison rape." The Department of Justice passed the final rule on PREA Standards which became federally mandated effective August 20, 2012.
The Office of Community Corrections is committed to supporting the full implementation of PREA with the goal of preventing, reducing and eliminating sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse in Colorado community corrections facilities. This goal will be met by supporting Colorado community corrections facilities to:
- Create zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, harassment, and abuse
- Educate clients and train staff regarding PREA
- Develop effective PREA policies and procedures
- Provide safety from sexual misconduct, harassment, and abuse
- Support reporting of sexual misconduct, harassment, and abuse
- Investigate and report incidents of sexual misconduct, harassment, and abuse
- Provide medical and mental health interventions for victims of sexual misconduct, harassment, and abuse
- Meet compliance with the federal PREA auditing requirements
Forms
- Screening for risk of sexual victimization or abusiveness form (Word - use for Diversion and DOC clients)
- Survey of Sexual Victimization Data Reporting Template
PREA Standards and Information
Reporting Hotlines
PREA Crisis Hotline
Free, confidential calls for emotional support and crisis intervention. Calls are not recorded.
Department of Corrections
TIPS line: 1-877-362-8477 (1-877-DOC-TIPS-0)
Email: doc_prea_program@state.co.us
Office of Community Corrections PREA Coordinator
Jeff Jorden, jeff.jorden@state.co.us, 720-788-6033
Resources
- Sexual Assault Counseling and Support Services
- National Center for Transgender Equality guide to ending abuse of LGBT prisoners
- C.R.S. 18-7-701: Sexual Conduct In A Correctional Institution
The National PREA Resource Center (PRC) website contains many resources including articles, FAQs, webinars, and access to technical assistance resources. The PRC curricula page has access to free training modules designed to address PREA requirements for staff training, client education, and other topics. You can also find online PREA training resources at the National Institute of Corrections PREA Learning Center.
PREA for Local Law Enforcement
The Colorado Jails PREA Demonstration Project, funded through a grant from the federal, Bureau of Justice Assistance, aimed to develop model programs for addressing sexual abuse in small, rural jails and to share those programs with jail leaders statewide. The project partners included the Pitkin County Jail in Aspen, the Lincoln County Jail in Hugo and Just Detention International, a health and human rights organization that seeks to end sexual abuse in all forms of detention. Following this BJA-funded project a state-funded Justice Assistance Grant was awarded to the County Sheriffs of Colorado (CSOC) to develop and pilot PREA training specifically for small jails.
The project's primary goals were to develop policies, staff training, inmate education, and coordinated response protocols that comply with the Department of Justice's national Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards with a focus on being responsive to the particular needs and challenges of small jails.
Project Partners
The project partners have created the following materials to assist other jurisdictions in addressing sexual abuse in their facilities:
PREA Policy Template for Small Jails
PREA Volunteer and Contractor Training Template for Small Jails
Colorado Jail Association PREA Survey Results
PREA Staffing Plan Template for Small Jails
Pitkin County Sample Staffing Plan
Lincoln County Sample Staffing Plan
PREA Standards Requirements for Jails and Prisons Regarding Agreements with Outside Agencies
Sexual Assault Response Team Evaluation Form Template,
Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights
Training Modules
The following training modules were piloted with Colorado jail staff in May 2015. They are updated based on feedback from participants, and are downloadable and available for public use.
PREA Jail Staff Training Template
PREA Training Module 1 PowerPoint- Introduction to PREA
PREA Training Module 2 PowerPoint- Legal Considerations
PREA Training Module 3 PowerPoint- Small Jails PREA Policies and Procedures
PREA Training Module 4 PowerPoint- Prevalence, Dynamics, and Impact of Sexual Abuse in Detention
PREA Training Module 5 PowerPoint- Sexual Abuse Detection, Reporting and Response
PREA Training Module 6 PowerPoint- Maintaining a Professional Environment
More Information
For more information:
- DCJ Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance: Kelly Abbott, kelly.abbott@state.co.us | (303) 239-5717
- DCJ Office of Community Corrections: Jeff Jorden, jeff.jorden@state.co.us, (303) 239-4146
- Just Detention International: info@justdetention.org | (213) 384-1400