WHAT IS PREA?
The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) establishes a zero-tolerance standard against sexual assaults and rapes of incarcerated persons. It is Public Law 108-79, signed in September 2003 by President Bush. PREA sets a standard that protects the Eighth Amendment rights of Federal, State, and local prisoners – making the prevention of sexual assault a top priority. It also increases available data on sexual misconduct and sexual assaults, and it increases the accountability for administrators who fail to prevent, reduce, and punish sexual misconduct and sexual assaults.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office supports the prosecution of persons who commit acts of sexual misconduct in its facilities. The Sarasota County Jail has developed uniform guidelines and procedures to reduce the risk of in-custody sexual assault and sexual activity. The Sheriff’s Office is committed to a zero-tolerance standard for sexual misconduct and sexual assault.
You can learn more about PREA by visiting the National Institute of Corrections and the National PREA Resource Center.
THE SARASOTA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE’S PREA POLICY- That the agency will comply with the provisions of the 2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA);
- A zero tolerance policy toward all forms of sexual abuse/harassment; and
- That if an incident of sexual abuse occurs in an agency facility and the abuser’s behavior has the potential to be determined as criminal, the investigation will be referred to the State Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) reports for the Sarasota County Jail, and a PREA reporting form, are linked below.
- 2022 PREA ANNUAL REPORT
- 2022 PREA AUDIT REPORT
- 2021 PREA ANNUAL REPORT
- 2020 PREA ANNUAL REPORT
- 2019 PREA ANNUAL REPORT
- 2019 SURVEY OF SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION
- 2019 PREA AUDIT REPORT
- 2018 PREA ANNUAL REPORT
- 2018 SURVEY OF SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION
- 2017 PREA ANNUAL REPORT
- 2017 SURVEY OF SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION
- 2016 PREA AUDIT REPORT
- 2016 PREA ANNUAL REPORT
- 2016 SURVEY OF SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION
- 2015 SURVEY OF SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION
- 2015 PREA ANNUAL REPORT
- 2014 SURVEY OF SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION
- 2014 PREA ANNUAL REPORT
To contact the PREA hotline, please call 1.888.951.2410.
Sexual abuse counseling is available to inmates through the Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center of Sarasota (SPARCC)