15PBJA23GG01981JAGP

The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) continues to partner with the Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) to utilize funding from this solicitation to work towards PREA compliance throughout the state of Wyoming county jails. It is the state of Wyoming's position that sexual assault, including assaults in correctional facilities, is unacceptable and that all reasonable steps must be taken to ensure the protection of inmates and a reduction in sexual violence and harassment in such settings.

The goal of this project is to improve institutional responses to incidents of sexual abuse, prioritize transparency, accountability, and collaboration in sexual abuse investigations, provide needed training to those involved in investigating reports of sexual abuse/rape in confinement settings, increase information sharing across multiple agencies both within and outside correctional facilities, and have a positive impact on criminal justice and PREA policies and practices in the state of Wyoming.

DCI partnering with WDOC will work towards assisting county facilities used by WDOC for housing inmates to become PREA compliant. While there are many purpose areas where funding can be utilized, DCI and WDOC are going to provide the funds for technical assistance for training/traveling, PREA audit, supplies, physical plant upgrades including cameras and PREA related printing material.

DCI in partner with WDOC will continue working to identify auditing needs of county facilities requiring PREA compliance. This funding will be used to assist their facilities with meeting PREA audit requirements and for audit expenses. WDOC and DCI will continue to partner with the local county jails in their efforts to become certified under the national standards.

As the global pandemic appears to have subsided a return to somewhat normal operations may be possible which will allow certification efforts to resume. In summary, DCI and WDOC will oversee participating county jail efforts in achieving PREA compliance. Assistance in the form of training, physical plant upgrades, technical expertise, audit preparation and funding will be provided using this grant.

Attorney General Of Wyoming

THE PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION ACT (PREA) PROVIDES 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" (PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION ACT, 2003). IN ADDITION TO MANDATING RESEARCH ON SEXUAL ASSAULT IN CONFINEMENT FACILITIES, PREA PROVIDES FUNDING, ADMINISTERED BY THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE (BJA), IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CORRECTIONS, TO SUPPORT EFFORTS ACROSS THE NATION TO ESTABLISH "ZERO TOLERANCE" CULTURES RELATED TO SEXUAL ABUSE AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN CONFINEMENT FACILITIES. PREA ALSO DIRECTS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO PROMULGATE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ALL SUCH FACILITIES, INCLUDING PRISONS AND LOCAL JAILS, POLICE LOCKUPS, COMMUNITY CONFINEMENT FACILITIES, AND JUVENILE FACILITIES. THE NATIONAL PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION COMMISSION WAS CREATED BY PREA AND CHARGED WITH DRAFTING NATIONAL STANDARDS. A FINAL DRAFT OF THE STANDARDS WAS PUBLISHED IN JUNE 2009 AND WAS TURNED OVER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ) FOR REVIEW AND PASSAGE AS A FINAL RULE. AFTER AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND SUBSEQUENT REVISIONS, THE FINAL RULE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER ON JUNE 20, 2012 AND BECAME EFFECTIVE ON AUGUST 20, 2012. PREA PROVIDES THAT A STATE WHOSE GOVERNOR DOES NOT CERTIFY FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARDS IS SUBJECT TO THE LOSS OF 5 PERCENT OF DOJ GRANT FUNDS THAT IT WOULD OTHERWISE RECEIVE FOR PRISON PURPOSES, UNLESS THE GOVERNOR SUBMITS AN ASSURANCE THAT SUCH 5 PERCENT WILL BE USED ONLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENABLING THE STATE TO ACHIEVE AND CERTIFY FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARDS IN FUTURE YEARS. (SEE 42 U.S.C. 15607(C).) THE EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT (JAG) PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE DOJ GRANT PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO THIS REQUIREMENT IN FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2022. STATES HAVE AN ONGOING OBLIGATION TO WORK TOWARD AND ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE WITH THE PREA STANDARDS; THEREFORE, THE PREA REDUCTION WILL BE APPLIED EACH YEAR THAT THE GOVERNOR DOES NOT CERTIFY FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE PREA STANDARDS. PURSUANT TO PREA, THE GOVERNOR HAS THREE OPTIONS: (1) SUBMIT A CERTIFICATION THAT THE STATE IS IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE PREA STANDARDS; (2) SUBMIT AN ASSURANCE THAT NOT LESS THAN 5 PERCENT OF ITS DOJ FUNDING FOR PRISON PURPOSES (INCLUDING ITS JAG AWARD) SHALL BE USED ONLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENABLING THE STATE TO ADOPT AND ACHIEVE FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE PREA STANDARDS THROUGH A JAG PREA REALLOCATION AWARD; (4) SUBMIT AN ASSURANCE THAT NOT LESS THAN 5 PERCENT OF ITS DOJ FUNDING FOR PRISON PURPOSES (INCLUDING ITS JAG AWARD) SHALL BE USED ONLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENABLING THE STATE TO ADOPT AND ACHIEVE FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE PREA STANDARDS AND REQUEST THAT DOJ HOLD THE 5 PERCENT IMPACTED FUNDS IN ABEYANCE; OR (3) ACCEPT A 5 PERCENT REDUCTION IN SUCH GRANTS (INCLUDING ITS JAG AWARD). THE SPECIFIED DATE FOR THE SUBMISSION OF A CERTIFICATION OR ASSURANCE BY THE GOVERNOR IS OCTOBER 15, 2021. THROUGH THE FY 2022 BJA SOLICITED-PREA SOLICITATION, BJA WILL ADMINISTER THE PREA REALLOCATION FUNDS FROM THE JAG PROGRAM FUNDS AWARDED TO THE ELIGIBLE SAAS THAT SUBMITTED AND ASSURANCE AND DID NOT CHOSE TO HAVE THE IMPACTED FUNDS HELD IN ABEYANCE. THE 5 PERCENT REDUCTION IS ASSESSED AGAINST THE STATE'S 60% SHARE OF JAG FUNDING PLUS THE LESS THAN $10,000 ALLOCATION, BUT EXCLUDES THE MANDATORY VARIABLE PASS-THROUGH (VPT) AMOUNT. STATES MUST PASS THROUGH THESE REALLOCATION FUNDS TO THE DESIGNATED PREA CONTACT AGENCIES.

16.735 - PREA Program: Strategic Support for PREA Implementation

Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) [DOJ - OJP]

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002-3037 United States

Single Zip Code

BJA FY 2023 Invited to Apply- Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Reallocation Funds Program (O-BJA-2023-171782)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 09/30/25 to 09/30/26.