Prison Rape Elimination Act

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety is committed to a standard of zero-tolerance of any undue familiarity or personal misconduct between employees and offenders. We make a commitment to provide professional and appropriate services to our offender population and support to staff for their roles in accomplishing these responsibilities. PREA's mission is to promote public safety by the administration of a fair and humane system which provides reasonable opportunities for adjudicated offenders to develop progressively responsible behavior. The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003 fits perfectly with that mission. Each employee is vital to the prevention and detection of undue familiarity in order to protect offenders and safeguard our communities.

We envision a safe and humane correctional environment free from the threat of any act of undue familiarity and sexual abuse. We see ourselves working collaboratively with others to develop programs and strategies that safeguard the well-being of offenders.

UNDUE FAMILIARITY

Professionalism with offenders is critical to maintaining a healthy correctional culture and safe environment. Undue familiarity is found among custody, probation, program, medical, mental health, chaplains, clerical, food service staff, surveillance, intake/ community service staff and others. No job classification is immune to undue familiarity. A staff member who engages in undue familiarity with an offender jeopardizes their career as well as their livelihood in the community.