Prison Rape Elimination Act

All staff have a clear duty to immediately report any knowledge or suspicion of sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment. Such knowledge or suspicion can include rumors or gut feelings. Staff are not required to report via chain-of-command when reporting through that route may involve an alleged abuser or otherwise present risk to the alleged victim. 

In addition to the methods listed above, staff may report any allegation of sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment through the following means:

• Email or call to their Section Director or the Director over the Section under which the allegation occurred
• Email or call to any supervisor, regardless of reporting relationship

Juveniles, their families, and third parties are also afforded the right to report sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment through a variety of means. Juveniles have the right to make a report of sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment on behalf of other juveniles. Reports may be made anonymously. There is no required timeframe for a juvenile, family, or third-party report and delayed reports must be accepted and investigated.

Ways for juveniles, their families, or third parties to report include, but are not limited to:

• Verbal or written report to any JJDP staff member
• Written report via facility black box
• Formal grievance, which shall not be routed to any staff member accused in the allegation 

•         Notification to the local rape crisis center

Juveniles in confinement have the right to the materials and means required for them to make any report of sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment via any of these methods, with the exception of email, which may be prohibited by security policies.