BJA FY 22 Implementing the PREA Standards, Protecting People Who Are Incarcerated, and Safeguarding Communities

OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) directs the U.S. Department of Justice to provide grants to jurisdictions and agencies nationwide to "protect inmates (particularly from prison rape) and to safeguard the communities to which inmates return" (34 U.S.C. 30305(a)). Grantees may use these federal funds to protect people who are incarcerated by "undertaking efforts to more effectively prevent prison rape; investigating incidents of prison rape; or prosecuting incidents of prison rape" (34 U.S.C. 30305 (b)(1)).