PREA

Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was passed unanimously by both parties in Congress in 2003. The purpose of the act is to “provide for the analysis of the incidence and effects of prison rape in federal, state, and local institutions and to provide information, resources, recommendations and funding to protect individuals from prison rape.” The act also created the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission and charged it with drafting standards for eliminating prison rape. Those standards were published in June 2009 and turned over to the Department of Justice for review and passage as a final rule. The Department of Justice published the final PREA Standards in the Federal Register on June 20, 2012, and they became effective August 20, 2012. 

The National Standards to Prevent, Detect, and Respond to Prison Rape (PREA Standards) require all covered confinement facilities to be audited at least once during every three-year audit cycle. The first audit cycle began on August 20, 2013 and ended on August 19, 2016. Subsequent cycles occur on the same dates every three years, and the cycle governs the scheduling requirements for audits. During each three-year audit cycle, every facility operated by a confinement agency, or by a private organization on behalf of the agency, must be audited at least once.

PREA Information for Families

Floyd County Corrections has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for sexual assault, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment of offenders in custody. Offenders have a right to be free from retaliation when reporting allegations of sexual assault, sexual abuse, and sexual harassment.

REPORTING

Any information regarding sexual abuse or harassment of an offender/resident can be reported via the sources below:

• Report by phone or in writing to any staff member
• Report by phone or in writing to the Georgia Department of Corrections
• Reporting by email PREA.report@gdc.ga.gov
• Reporting by phone to GDC Ombudsman’s Office at 478-992-5358
• Reporting in writing to an outside agency: (You may remain anonymous)
  • State Board of Pardons and Paroles, Office of Victim Services
    2 MLK, Jr. Drive, S.E., Balcony Level, East Tower
    Atlanta, Georgia 30334
• Reporting as a third party on behalf of another offender
• Family members may also make a report via any of the above methods as a third party

CONFIDENTIAL SUPPORT SERVICES

Confidential support services are available through the Sexual Assault Center of NWGA for offenders in need of emotional support. Offenders can access these services by writing to the address listed below. This service is confidential unless a family member or offender requests assistance reporting an allegation to facility staff and/or reports actions or intent to harm themselves or others.

Sexual Assault Center of NWGA
P.O. Box 928
Rome, GA 30162

For questions or concerns regarding PREA, you may call the facility PREA Coordinator.  For more information, please visit the National PREA Resource Center.