CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Pennsylvania Corrections Secretary Jeffrey A. Beard, PhD, today announced that the federal Office of Justice Programs, Prison Rape Elimination Project, awarded the state Department of Corrections a grant of almost $600,000.  As part of this grant, the DOC will match the funds with $605,746.

   

"The Department of Corrections has a zero tolerance toward inmate abuse of

any kind, whether it be at the hands of other inmates or staff," Beard said.

"This grant will help Pennsylvania's state prison administrators continue and

strengthen the existing effort to eliminate prison rape and forced sexual

conduct within the state prison system.  It will ensure that incidents of

prison rape are reported, accurately investigated and prosecuted."

   

Beard said that he and his administration immediately began establishing a

multi-disciplinary committee to review the Prison Rape Elimination Act of

once it was enacted.

  

 "We had already begun working on a multi-pronged plan that would work to

educate staff and inmates about prison rape," Beard said.  "We take this topic

so seriously that we are working with the Pennsylvania Office of Victim

Advocate and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, a nationally renowned

organization, to develop education and training curriculum and informational

brochures."

    

The partnership with PCAR, which is unique to Pennsylvania, was

facilitated by Victim Advocate Mary Achilles. Through her guidance, PCAR now

serves on the DOC's committee and provides feedback, focus groups and

assistance developing brochures and curriculum.

   

"To ignore this situation is to condone it," said Delilah Rumburg,

executive director of PCAR. "We are pleased that the DOC continues to address

prison rape and give voice to its victims, and we look forward to our

continued partnership that will address the needs of victims and prevent

future assaults from occurring."

  

 In addition, DOC is partnering with PCAR to conduct regional training for

sexual assault center staff and for counselors to travel to state prisons to

counsel victims of sexual assault.

   

In October , the DOC established a committee to deal with the issue of

prison rape.  Members of that committee represent various bureaus and offices

from within the DOC, whose mission is to analyze the impact of PREA on the

department; determine how to enhance data collection; develop staff and inmate

education; respond to the Department of Justice survey relating to prison rape

and sexual contact, and; ultimately, reduce/eliminate prison rape.

   

According to the DOC, the $580,312 grant awarded in August will be used

to:

 

    -- Provide all new inmates with a pamphlet explaining the DOC's commitment

       to their safety, the protocol for reporting sexual assault and the

       expectations of the DOC during an investigation of a reported assault.

    -- Allow inmates and staff to participate in an anonymous survey of the

       prevalence of prison rape to ascertain the scope of the problem and

       areas of strength and/or concern.

    -- Assist each state prison facility in sponsoring a Rape Awareness

       Prevention and Education week to highlight the issue through video and

       open discussion.

    -- Provide additional training to all corrections officers in the areas of

       reporting methods, investigation protocols and likely scenarios

       leading to sexual assault.

    -- Establish a dynamic, Web-based assault-reporting system.

 

For information on the Prison Rape Elimination Act of and the Office

of Justice Programs, visit http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/.  A document titled,

"FY Protecting Inmates and Safeguarding Communities Discretionary Grant

Program," contains explanations of both.

   

 

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Corrections