Measuring the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

• In Event: The Inmate Code in Prisons and Jails

Abstract

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was designed to prevent, detect, and respond to any form of sexual violence occurring in correctional facilities. Studies examining PREA have generally focused on its preventative effects, the history and implementation of this law, as well as its evolving legal mandates. Largely overlooked across this body of literature, is how the policy is being received by the very individuals tasked with enforcing it, including corrections staff and inmates. PREA’s success is contingent upon the levels of knowledge and support corrections populations have for this legislation. The current study examines correctional staff (N =222) as well as incarcerated offenders (N = 490) housed in three state-level medium-security prisons located in the southeastern United States. Overall, it was found that both staff and inmates possessed adequate knowledge of PREA and supported its broader mission. However, it was also found that several members of each sample were unaware of what exactly constituted a sexual violation, and of the procedures involved in investigating sexual misconduct allegations. Collectively considered, these findings indicate that PREA is being embraced, enforced according to its original intentions, yet additional training on the legal dimensions of this law is warranted.

Authors

• Hayden Smith, University of South Carolina

• Frank Ferdik, Austin Peay State University

• Jon Gist, Notre Dame of Maryland University