Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

About PREA

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was passed in 2003 with unanimous support from both parties in Congress. 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 from prison rape.” (Prison Rape Elimination Act, 2003). 

In addition to creating a mandate for significant research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and through the National Institute of Justice, funding through 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.

National Prison Rape Elimination Commission

The act also created the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission and charged it with developing draft standards for the elimination of prison rape. Those standards were published in June 2009, and were turned over to the Department of Justice for review and passage as a final rule. That final rule became effective August 20, 2012.

PREA Resource Center

In 2010, the Bureau of Justice Assistance funded the National PREA Resource Center to continue to provide federally funded training and technical assistance to states and localities, as well as to serve as a single-stop resource for leading research and tools for all those in the field working to come into compliance with the federal standards.

prea and inmate population

The Mariposa County Adult Detention Facility maintains a ZERO-TOLERANCE policy for sexual misconduct of ANY kind. The zero-tolerance policy applies to staff, contractors, volunteers, inmates and visitors. It is the policy of the Mariposa County Adult Detention Facility to prohibit conduct that would create a hostile or sexualized work environment. It is also the policy of the Mariposa County Adult Detention Facility to prohibit any acts or behaviors of sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct as defined in The Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003. 

Members of the public may report allegations of misconduct using any of the following methods:

  • Write a letter to the Lieutenant, Sheriff or any law enforcement agency
  • Report the allegation to Jail Officer, Shift Supervisor, Medical Staff or Mental Health Worker.
  • Call the National Sexual Abuse Hotline: 800-656-46

Other Resources

  • Rape Crisis Services: 866-UR-SAFE or 866-487-7233
  • Mariposa County CORE: 209-742-6447