November 27, 2013
Q.

In determining whether to certify that my State is in "full compliance" with the National PREA Standards, how do I determine which facilities are "under the operational control of the State's executive branch"?

A.

The National PREA Standards state that “The Governor’s certification [of full compliance with the PREA standards] shall apply to all facilities in the State under the operational control of the State’s executive branch, including facilities operated by private entities on behalf of the State’s executive branch.” 28 C.F.R. § 115.501(b). A “facility” is defined as “a place, institution, building (or part thereof), set of buildings, structure, or an area (whether or not enclosing a building or set of buildings) that is used by an agency for the confinement of individuals.” Id. at standard 115.5. Some standards apply specifically at the facility level, while others apply at the agency level.

The definition of facility includes local detention and correctional facilities as well as State correctional facilities; however, not all facilities within a State are subject to the Governor’s certification. The Governor’s certification does not encompass those facilities outside the operational control of the governor; namely, those facilities that are under the operational control of counties, cities, or other municipalities, or privately-operated facilities not operated on behalf of the State’s executive branch.

The term “operational control” is not defined in the National PREA Standards. The determination of whether a facility is under the operational control of the executive branch is left to a governor’s discretion, subject to the following guidance.

Generally, there are several factors that may be taken into consideration in determining whether a facility is under the “operational control” of the executive branch:

Does the executive branch have the ability to mandate PREA compliance without judicial intervention?

Is the State a unified correctional system?

Does the State agency contract with a facility to confine inmates/residents on behalf of the State agency, other than inmates being temporarily held for transfer to, or release from, a State facility?

The above list is not exhaustive but it covers the majority of the situations that Governors may face in determining whether a facility or contractual arrangement is subject to the Governor’s certification.

Please note that the standards require that any public agency that contracts for the confinement of its inmates with private agencies or other entities, including other government agencies, (1) include in any new contract or contract renewal the entity’s obligation to adopt and comply with the PREA standards, and (2) provide for agency contract monitoring to ensure that the contractor is complying with the PREA standards. 28 C.F.R. §§ 115.12, 115.112, 115.212, 115.312. A State confinement agency that fails to comply with these requirements is, by the terms of the standards, not PREA compliant.

Standard
Categories
Governor's Certification,
Definitions