What GAO Found Department of Justice (DOJ) preliminary data indicate there were approximately 8,500 reported allegations of sexual abuse in federal prisons from 2014 through 2022, the most recent year that aggregate data were available. These data include allegations of sexual abuse of incarcerated individuals, including alleged abuse perpetrated by other incarcerated individuals and by Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees. GAO identified challenges that could limit the effectiveness of BOP’s Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) audits, held every three years. These audits assess BOP facilities’ compliance with the National Standards to Prevent, Detect, and Respond to Prison Rape (PREA Standards) that were published by DOJ. Challenges that Could Limit the Effectiveness of PREA Audits Audit Goals. The goal of the audits is to determine facilities’ compliance with the PREA Standards, not for auditors to detect ongoing sexual abuse at the facilities. For example, auditors review whether facilities have PREA policies in place and collect PREA data, but auditors have no specific instructions to detect whether there is ongoing abuse at the facilities. Some BOP facilities passed their PREA audits despite widespread ongoing sexual abuse. Audit Contract.BOP’s current contracting approach for PREA audits may create risks that result in audits not…
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Federal Prisons: Improvements Needed to Prevent, Detect, and Address Sexual Abuse
Source: US GAO Reports — US Government, Public Domain