The PREA Management Office (PMO) within the Bureau of Justice Assistance at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), has developed a PREA Auditor Handbook to articulate the requirements of DOJ PREA auditor certification, establish standards of ethical auditor conduct, detail a rigorous, practice-based audit methodology, hold auditors accountable for high standards of audit quality and integrity, and provide transparency to key stakeholders regarding the PREA audit process and expectations of auditors.
The PREA Auditor Handbook covers the following core topics:
- Auditing contracts and compensation
- Code of conduct governing auditors
- Conflicts of interest
- Process for becoming a DOJ-certified PREA auditor
- Requirements for maintaining DOJ PREA auditor certification
- Auditor’s role and the PREA audit process
- The PMO’s oversight of the PREA audit function
- Maintaining, losing, or giving up certification
- Auditor resources
In addition to the topics listed above, the PREA Auditor Handbook includes the Auditor Certification Agreement, which outlines the requirements of auditor conduct and the principles to which auditors must adhere. All PREA auditors are required to read and sign the Auditor Certification Agreement in order to obtain (or maintain) DOJ PREA auditor certification.
Although this resource was developed primarily for auditors to guide and direct their role in the PREA audit process, the PREA Auditor Handbook includes important information for agencies and facilities preparing for and undergoing a PREA audit. Facilities and agencies are strongly encouraged to review the PREA Auditor Handbook to know what to expect from audits and from the auditors with whom they contract.
The PREA Auditor Handbook will be an evolving document as the PMO identifies edits and improvements. Auditors and the field will be notified of all revisions, which will be released periodically as subsequent versions of the PREA Auditor Handbook become available.