Congress passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) in 2003 with unanimous support from both parties. Congress intended that PREA would 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 Wisconsin Department of Justice, as State Administering Agency for the Title II Formula Grant, will be the grantee. DOJ will sub-grant these funds to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WIDOC), the designated state PREA contact agency.
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WIDOC) proactively supports the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA).
Through this proposal, The WIDOC is seeking funding under this reallocation grant to be PREA compliant PREA standards. The WIDOC is seeking a portion of this funding to train ten (10) Supervising Youth Counselors and one (1) Security Director from LHS / CLS to investigate sexual abuse and sexual harassment in confinement, per standard §115.334 as this will allow the facility top respond to all allegations in a timely manner.
The WIDOC is seeking a portion of this funding to purchase printed and laminated cards for all of the staff to carry with their DOC issued identification card that would outline staff responsibilities in the event a sexual abuse allegation is received, per standard §115.364.
The WIDOC is seeking a portion of this funding to update and print PREA handbooks that are distributed to all youth that describe agency policy, ways to report and rights to be free from sexual abuse and sexual harassment. The information in these handbooks would include a verification page in which the youth would be required to sign acknowledging receipt. Additionally, the handbook would contain all information under standard §115.333.
Finally, WIDOC is seeking a portion of this funding to purchase items to prevent cross-gender staff from viewing the breasts, buttocks, or genitalia of youth, except in exigent circumstances or when such viewing is incidental to routine cell checks when youth are showering, toileting or changing clothes, per standard §115.315. The items requested for purchase are shower curtain and / or dividers, visual and audible notification devices, and equipment to shade portions of a camera.
NCA/NCF
