This section highlights the voices and success stories of agencies, organizations, and individuals from around the nation who are doing promising work to implement the PREA Standards successfully and advance the movement to end sexual abuse in confinement facilities.
Rosebud Sioux Tribe
In November 2015, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota was awarded a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance for PREA implementation efforts in the Wanbli Wiconi Tipi juvenile facility, becoming the first tribal jurisdiction to receive these funds for a juvenile facility. Without an existing model to guide them, the agency and technical assistance providers sought to create a new model for other tribal facilities to use as a resource. Over the course of the grant period, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe has made tremendous progress toward PREA implementation, and Wanbli Wiconi Tipi has emerged as a national leader in trauma-informed and culturally appropriate PREA implementation strategies in tribal juvenile confinement facilities.
To learn more about this impactful project, please view the short and full-length videos below:
PREA and Culture Change
Produced by the PRC in partnership with Just Detention International (JDI), the PREA and Culture Change series features currently and formerly incarcerated people and corrections staff speaking about how PREA is changing the culture of corrections—and making facilities safer for everyone.
Troy Isaac
The first video features Troy Isaac, a member of JDI’s Survivor Council who was sexually assaulted many times in juvenile and adult confinement facilities. Troy believes that the PREA Standards are essential for keeping incarcerated people safe—particularly LGBT youth.
View an accessible format of Troy's video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.
Tony Booker
Tony Booker, Director of Adult Residential Center, is a longtime corrections professional in Johnson County, Kansas who led his county's PREA implementation efforts. He discusses the importance of the Standards in cultivating a safe environment, creating a sexual assault response team, and building connections between facilities and community resources.
View an accessible format of Tony's video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.
Detective Dustin Contreras
Detective Dustin Contreras is a sexual assault investigator in California. In this video, Detective Contreras talks about the PREA Standards, sexual assault response teams, and what it means to take a survivor-centered approach during an investigation.
View an accessible format of detective Contreras' video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.
Joseph Booth
Joseph Booth was sexually abused repeatedly by his cellmate while serving time in a California prison. In this video, Joe, who is a member of JDI’s Survivor Council, talks about the corrections officials and the advocate who supported him after the sexual assaults.
View an accessible format of Joe's video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.
Johnitha McNair
Johnitha McNair is the Executive Director of the Northern Juvenile Detention Center in Alexandria, VA. Johnitha speaks about her leadership role in ensuring sexual safety in the juvenile confinement facility she directs, and emphasizes the importance of open communication with both staff and residents about PREA, and the steps that must be taken to prevent sexual abuse and sexual harassment inside the facility.
View an accessible format of Johnitha's video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.
Rodney Roussell
Rodney Roussell is a survivor of sexual abuse in confinement and is a member of JDI’s Survivor Council. In this video, Rodney shares his story and emphasizes that everyone should be safe from sexual abuse and harassment.
View an accessible format of Rodney's video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.
Michelle-Lael Norsworthy
Michelle-Lael Norsworthy is a survivor of sexual abuse in prison and is a member of JDI’s Survivor Council. In this video, Michelle-Lael talks about the importance of outside counseling and the dramatic effect that inmate peer education has on a facility culture.
View an accessible format of Michelle-Lael's video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.
John Barkley
A longtime corrections professional, John Barkley became South Carolina’s first-ever PREA Coordinator in 2013. In this video, John talks about his agency’s groundbreaking work bringing in outside counselors and how PREA fosters a safe prison culture.
View an accessible format of John's video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.
Monica Lugo
Monica Lugo is the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Manager for the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office in Texas and previously served as the PREA Coordinator for the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. In this video, Monica talks about her pathbreaking work leading PREA implementation efforts, including running staff trainings, building partnerships with outside counselors, and adopting zero-tolerance policies.
View an accessible format of Monica's video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.
Sgt. Neckole Sterling
Sgt. Neckole Sterling is a veteran with the Los Angeles Police Department. In this video, Neckole talks about the department’s efforts to implement the PREA Standards, and the positive effect it has had on the safety of its lockups.
View an accessible format of Neckole's video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.
Tutwiler Prison for Women Inmates
In this video, three women serving time at the Tutwiler Prison for Women talk about how meaningful PREA implementation led to positive changes in the facility culture and increased prisoners’ wellbeing.
View an accessible format of this video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.
Tutwiler Prison for Women Staff
In this video, four staff members at Tutwiler Prison for Women discuss how PREA sparked a dramatic turnaround at their prison, leading to improvements in staff morale and prisoner safety.
View an accessible format of this video including closed captions, interactive transcript, and audio descriptions.