Caren Harp, Administrator July 2020 

Eliminating Prison Rape

Among Juveniles 

In 2018, an estimated 7.1 percent of youth in juvenile correctional facilities 

reported being sexually victimized during the prior 12 months, according to 

the Bureau of Justice Statistics.1 The estimate reflects a decrease from the

9.5 percent of youth who reported being sexually victimized in juvenile facilities 

during 2012. Although this decrease is encouraging, even a single juvenile who 

experiences sexual abuse in confinement is one too many.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) works with

the states and territories to ensure their compliance with the Prison Rape 

Elimination Act (PREA) and to protect youth in juvenile facilities.

Enacted in 2003, PREA calls for federal resources, funding, and recommendations

to address prison rape in federal, state, and local institutions. The Act also 

requires correctional facilities to analyze the incidence of prison rape to prevent,

detect, and respond to the issue. To further protect youth, the PREA Juvenile 

Facility Standards outline steps to prevent sexual harassment and abuse in 

juvenile facilities. The standards also provide details about services for victims, 

investigation procedures, staff training, and auditing compliance.

Program 

Prison Rape Elimination Act Program 

Funding under this program supports PREA-related compliance efforts in 

state-run juvenile correctional facilities. 

OJJDP awards formula grants to states to support their efforts to prevent 

delinquency, improve the juvenile justice system, and protect youth from harm. 

The Office assesses a 5-percent penalty against a state’s formula grant funding 

each year it fails to comply with the PREA requirements. OJJDP reallocates 

these funds to help states achieve compliance with the Act. States may use 

the funds to assist victims and cover the costs of activities to bring facilities 

into compliance, such as auditing the facilities, training staff, and purchasing 

cameras and other security equipment. In 2019, 20 states received OJJDP 

funding to help their juvenile facilities comply with PREA. 

For More Information 

Access more information about OJJDP’s PREA program at 

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/programs/prea. 

Additional PREA-related resources are available from the Department of 

Justice at www.ojp.gov/program/programs/prisonrapeelimination. 

Funding 

Between fscal years 2017 and 

2019, OJJDP awarded more 

than $808,000 to help states fully 

comply with PREA. 

` Fiscal Year 2019—$319,896 

` Fiscal Year 2018—$236,405 

` Fiscal Year 2017—$252,090 

From the Field 

In fiscal year 2019, OJJDP awarded 

more than $90,000 in PREA funding 

to the State of California. 

The award funded educational 

initiatives for corrections staff in the 

state. This included training for 326 

staff members in 4 juvenile facilities 

on issues pertaining to lesbian,

gay, bisexual, transgender, and 

questioning youth. Research has 

shown that this population faces a

higher risk of sexual victimization in

confinement. 

The state used part of the award

to develop first responder guides

to help staff preserve evidence 

correctly following a crime.

California also completed facility

upgrades with the funding. The state 

installed video monitoring systems

at two large facilities and provided

additional barriers and privacy

devices in showers and bathrooms 

at two juvenile facilities. 

1 Smith, E.L., and Stroop, J. 2019. Sexual Victimization Reported by Youth in Juvenile Facilities, 2018. 

Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Office of Juvenile Justice and 

Delinquency Prevention 

NCJ 253047 ojjdp.ojp.gov