PREA Academy

What is PREA 101?

PREA Academy is a free online learning community designed to train and guide participants as they increase their understanding of the PREA Standards and identify promising PREA implementation strategies they can use in their confinement facilities and agencies. PREA Academy offers multi-week courses delivered on a semester-based schedule. Courses include both self-paced coursework and scheduled opportunities for peer engagement.

The program’s first course, PREA 101, is intended for stakeholders who are responsible for PREA implementation in their agencies and facilities. This course focuses on several important topics, including the dynamics of sexual abuse in confinement; the PREA audit process and associated expectations; the types of inmates, residents, and detainees who are at increased risk of either being sexually abused or of perpetrating sexual abuse in confinement facilities; and the hundreds of specific requirements of the PREA Standards. This unique program also offers participants the opportunity to network and engage with their peers from across the country regarding their ongoing PREA implementation efforts.

Through small group discussion and self-paced online coursework, PREA Academy participants gain: 

  • Increased comprehension and understanding of the PREA Standards 
  • Accessible training
  • Access to subject matter experts
  • Individualized coaching sessions 

How are applicants selected?

Applicants will be selected based on: 

  • Their role in PREA implementation
  • Their motivation for participating in the training
  • Their ability to communicate how PREA 101 will benefit their facility or agency

Applicants who serve as the designated agency PREA Coordinator or serve as the facility PREA Compliance Manager will be prioritized. However, the following applicants are encouraged to apply and will be considered if seating is available:

  • Backup PREA Coordinator or backup PREA Compliance Manager
  • Those responsible for training employees on PREA
  • Those responsible for conducting investigations for PREA-related incidents
  • Those responsible for PREA oversight
  • Advocates from community-based organizations

Because we seek to enroll a geographically diverse class of participants, we are not able to accept large numbers of applicants from any one agency. We ask that agency leaders help us with this challenge by limiting the number of applicants from each agency to no more than three

This training is focused on the Department of Justice PREA Standards. The PRC is aware that many people serve in PREA-related roles implementing other federal agency PREA Standards such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS/ICE) PREA Standards. Please be aware that this course may be generally informative but is not designed for people who implement other federal agency standards. 

How to apply

PREA 101 is scheduled to begin on Monday, May 8th, 2023, and end on Friday, August 25th, 2023. This course will require approximately 4 hours per week of engagement from the participant, including both self-paced and scheduled engagement.

The competitive application for this training closed on Friday, March 3, 2022. Applicants will be notified in early April if they’ve been accepted into the 2023 delivery of PREA 101. If you have specific questions about the application process or PREA 101 as a whole, you can reach out via Contact Us on the PRC website. 

For more information about PREA 101 and the key features, learning objectives, course requirements, and schedule please click here.

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