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2015 PREA Report

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NORTHWEST REGIONAL RE-ENTRY CENTER

PREA Annual Report 2015

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was passed by Congress and signed into law in 2003 to prevent, detect and respond to sexual abuse that occurs in confinement settings. On June 20, 2012 national standards for reducing prison rape that were developed by the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission were published by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Federal Register. PREA applies to adult prisons and jails, juvenile confinement facilities, lockups and community confinement facilities.

Compliance with PREA standards not only serves to protect residents at NWRRC from sexual assault, sexual abuse and sexual harassment, but also provides residents with subsequent medical and psychological care as well as advocacy services in the community regardless of when the incident(s) occurred or in which facility it occurred.  In addition to protecting and providing services for residents, compliance also enhances the safety and security of our facility, and ultimately, the community.
We’ve collected the following data on reports of Sexual harassment, sexual abuse, sexual assault and staff misconduct for 2015:

  • 2 reports were received of resident-on-resident sexual assault that occurred in another facility.  These were reported to the facilities for investigation.
  • 1 report was received for resident-on-resident sexual intimidation/harassment that occurred in another facility.  This was reported to the facility for investigation.
  • 2 reports were received regarding staff-on-resident sexual harassment at NWRRC.  The staff member responsible for both was terminated from employment.
  • 3 reports were received for resident-on-resident sexual harassment at NWRRC.  Two perpetrators were taken into custody and one absconded.  An immediate warrant was issued for his arrest.

Staff members who have received PREA investigation training conduct a preliminary fact-finding investigation.  Based on the information gathered, the information may be turned over to the Bureau of Prisons to conduct an investigation based on their protocol.  When the incident appears to be criminal in nature, the Portland Police Bureau is contacted to conduct an investigation, following their investigative protocol.   The NWRRC PREA coordinator tracks all reports from the date they are received through the conclusion of the investigation, and if warranted, through the prosecution proceedings.

We place a high priority on ensuring the safety and security of our residents and staff of NWRRC at all times. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone feels safe from sexual assault/abuse and where it’s safe to report such incidents should they occur.  Here at NWRRC, we have actively worked to meet the challenge of developing solid policies and procedures that comply with the federal PREA standards.
We’re all in this together—NWRRC staff, residents, families, community agencies, law enforcement and community members. Thank you for your interest in the safety and care of our residents.