NCJ Number
243605
Date Published
May 2013
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This report presents a set of guidelines for prison officials to use in screening inmates for risk of sexual victimization and abusiveness while incarcerated.
Abstract
Under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), corrections agencies are required to establish a set of standards to prevent, detect, and respond to prison rape. As part of the standards on prevention, prison officials are required to screen inmates for risk of sexual victimization or sexual abusiveness while incarcerated, and to use this information to determine where and how at-risk inmates should be housed. This document contains a set of guidelines developed for use by corrections officials to screen inmates for risk of sexual victimization and abusiveness. These guidelines discuss the purpose for using risk assessments and other correctional screening instruments, as well the limitations of these instruments. The guidelines also discuss the key elements of a screening instrument: requirements for different facility types; developing a screening instrument; and screening women for vulnerability. Other issues addressed in the guidelines include appropriate ways to use PREA screening information and issues that should be addressed to ensure the successful implementation of a screening instrument.