Signed by Alan R. Hanson, the Acting Assistant Attorney General at the Office of Justice Programs, this letter was sent to all state governors on September 12, 2017. This letter outlines the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) mandates, and PREA's effect on Department of Justice grant funding.
During this webinar, we covered PREA Standard 115.18: Upgrades to facilities and technology. We encourage you to invite your colleagues to view this discussion and use it as an opportunity for ongoing education.
The PRC is happy to announce the release of new resources for auditors and agencies to include four sets of Document Review Worksheets. These resources were created for the Field Training Program and recently revised for broader use by auditors and agencies/facilities. The worksheets will aid a facility in the identification and collection of the proof documentation an auditor needs to audit the standards and will assist an auditor in the review of that proof documentation.
On 10/28/2021, the PRC hosted a live 90-minute webinar to introduce and share these resources with auditors and agencies/facilities. During the webinar, speakers showcased the worksheets with explanations of how both auditors and facility staff can utilize the resources to aid in their audit preparation.
Many elements of the audit assignment system, such as training and oversight of auditors, are ongoing. With regard to the final two elements of the audit assignment system—the audit initiation rules and public availability of information about each audit—the PREA Management Office will implement these elements in June of 2022, according to the timeline below.
| Audit Assignment System Element | Timeline |
|---|---|
| PREA Auditor Training and Certification Program | Ongoing |
| Public, Searchable Database of DOJ-Certified PREA Auditors | Ongoing |
| PREA Audit Oversight Program | Ongoing |
| Audit Initiation Process and Rules |
Submission of Audit Initiation Form: Ongoing Auditors are already required to submit an Audit Initiation Form for each audit in which they are lead auditor. The audit assignment system will require some updates to the content of the form, which will take effect in June 2022, including the requirement for auditors to upload a copy of the audit contract with the audited agency. Audit Initiation Form Approval: June 2022 The PREA Management Office will begin approving auditors to conduct audits in June 2022. |
| Publicly Available Audit Information | June 2022 |
The PREA Management Office may amend the audit assignment system in the future based on changes to existing capacity, statutory obligations, and available resources. Any changes to the audit assignment system will be communicated in a timely fashion to all stakeholders.