Prison Rape Elimination Act

What Is PREA?

The Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 prohibits and seeks to eliminate sexual assaults and sexual misconduct in correctional institutions. Sexual abuse includes: resident on resident sexual abuse, resident on resident sexual harassment, staff on resident sexual abuse and staff on resident sexual harassment.

The Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center has a zero tolerance for incidences of sexual abuse or misconduct within its facility. It is the policy of the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center to provide a safe, humane and secure environment free from threat of sexual abuse for all residents in custody by maintaining a program of prevention, detection and response. Any person accused of such inappropriate acts will be subjected to investigation, and will also be referred to law enforcement when applicable.

Purpose of the Prison Rape Elimination Act

The purpose of the Prison Rape Elimination act is to “provide for the analysis of the incidence and effects of prison rape in federal, state and local institutions and to provide information, resources and recommendations to protect individuals from prison rape.”

How to Report Sexual Harassment or Sexual Misconduct

Residents who have been subjected to sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct or victimization, or know someone who has been the victim of sexual harassment while in the custody of the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center, should either:

• Notify their housing unit officer immediately
• Notify the psych social worker (PSW) via triage form
• Contact the jail chaplain
• Call the PREA hotline by dialing *789
• Fill out an resident grievance form
• Send a written letter to the MCHOC PREA Administrators, 8885 S. 68th St., Franklin, WI 53132
• Ask a family member or friend to call the jail shift commander at (414) 427-4700

Residents calling the hotline regarding another resident do not have to give their name; however, it is critical that as many details as possible are given; including:

• The names and locations of persons involved
• The dates and times the incident occurred
• Any potential witnesses to the incident
• A brief description of the incident or specific details

Civilians who have information regarding a Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center resident who has been the victim of sexual misconduct while in the custody of the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center may report information by mail or email.

Mail

Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center
Prison Rape Elimination Act Coordinator
8885 S. 68th St.
Franklin, WI 53132
(414) 427-4775

Email

[email protected]

It is the resolution of the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center that no resident will suffer in silence. We will maintain and ensure a safe and secure environment for the public, staff and residents.

PREA Resource Center

Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center 2023 PREA Annual Report

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was established in 2003 to address the problems of sexual abuse and sexual harassment in the Correctional System.  PREA is a Federal Law established to address the elimination, reduction and prevention of sexual assault and rape within our Correctional System.

The Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center has a Zero Tolerance policy pertaining to all sexual misconduct, including sexual abuse and sexual harassment.  Stated in the PREA policy, there shall be no sexual activity between staff and residents/detained persons in custody, or between incarcerated/detained persons.  We are working continuously to implement new policies and procedures, PREA training requirements for staff and residents and developing standards for the detection, prevention, and reduction of sexual misconduct; and to ensure that all sexual misconduct is reported and investigated accurately and completely.

It is the policy of the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center to respond and thoroughly investigate every allegation of sexual misconduct reported.  All cases will have an ending result of:

• Substantiated allegation:  An allegation was investigated and determined to have occurred.
• Unsubstantiated allegation:  An allegation was investigated, and the investigation produced insufficient evidence to make a final determination as to whether the event occurred.
• Unfounded:  An allegation was investigated and determined not to have occurred.

In 2023 the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center had nine (9) PREA cases filed.

• Zero (0) cases were reported for Resident/Resident Non-Consensual Sexual Act. 
• Two (2) cases were reported for Resident/Resident Abusive Sexual Contact.  Two (2) cases were found to be unfounded.
• Four (3) cases were reported for Resident/Resident Sexual Harassment.  One (1) case was found to be unfounded, and two (2) cases were found to be unsubstantiated.
• One (1) case was reported for Staff/Resident Sexual Harassment. One (1) case was investigated and found to be unfounded.
• Three (3) case were reported for Staff Sexual Misconduct.  Three Cases were investigated, and two (2) cases were found to be unfounded, and one (1) case was found to be unsubstantiated.

All data was collected and aggregated to assess and improve the effectiveness of our sexual abuse prevention, detection and response policies, practices, and training.

The Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center continues to be committed to taking corrective actions to comply with the Prison Rape Elimination Act Standards and to continue to provide a safe environment for its residents.  Since the inception of this program, we have implemented the following actions:

We have previously trained twenty- four (24) officers in PREA investigations.

We implemented a PREA hotline; internal and external, for the confidential reporting by residents within the facility and access to the National PREA Hotline for reporting outside of the facility.

We have orientated all incoming residents on Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (P.R.E.A.) and included information regarding the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (P.R.E.A.) on all resident tablets.  Additionally, all staff advise residents daily, during expectations on each shift, how to report incidents of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and sexual abuse.

We have written and distributed new policies and procedures to all staff within our institution educating them on the importance of P.R.E.A.

We have updated our monitoring technology by upgrading the cameras. Additional cameras have also been installed in all hallway intersections, response to blind spots in A2 and B2; administrative segregation areas, halls (360-degree cameras have been added to all hallway intersections) and housing units.

In housing units, shower area windows were frosted, and partitions have been added between toilets for privacy and therefore, for security purposes, inspections were changed from one hour to forty-five minute or less intermittent tours.

Blue lights were installed in housing units for the purpose of cross gender announcing.

We previously created, and continuously update, a PREA section on our website to educate the public on our policies. The policy of the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center is to provide a safe, humane, and secure environment free of sexual abuse for all residents in custody by maintaining a program of prevention, detection, and response.  It is our resolution that no resident will suffer in silence.  We will maintain and ensure a safe and secure environment for the public, staff, and residents alike.

Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center 2020 PREA Annual Report

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was established in 2003 to address the problems of sexual abuse and sexual harassment in the Correctional System. PREA is a federal law established to address the elimination, reduction and prevention of sexual assault and rape within our Correctional System.

The Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center has a zero tolerance policy pertaining to all sexual misconduct, including sexual abuse and sexual harassment; and stated in the PREA policy there shall be no sexual activity between staff and residents, or between residents. We are working continuously to implement new policies and procedures, PREA training requirements for staff and residents and developing standards for the detection, prevention and reduction of sexual misconduct; and to ensure that all sexual misconduct is reported and investigated accurately and completely.

It is the policy of the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center to respond and thoroughly investigate every allegation of sexual misconduct reported. All cases will have an ending result of:

• Substantiated allegation: This means an allegation was investigated and determined to have occurred.
• Unsubstantiated allegation: This means an allegation was investigated and the investigation produced insufficient evidence to make a final determination as to whether or not the event occurred.
• Unfounded: This means an allegation was investigated and determined not to have occurred.

In 2020 the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center had 14 PREA cases filed.

• Zero cases were reported for Resident/Resident Non-Consensual Sexual Act. 
• Four cases were reported for Resident/Resident Abusive Sexual Contact. Zero cases were determined to be substantiated. Two cases were investigated and determined to be unsubstantiated. Two cases were investigated and determined to be unfounded.
• Five cases were reported for Resident/Resident Sexual Harassment. Zero cases were investigated and determined to be substantiated. Three cases were determined to be unsubstantiated. Two cases were investigated and determined to be unfounded.
• Zero cases were reported for Staff Sexual Harassment. 
• Five cases were reported for Staff Sexual Misconduct. Two cases were investigated and determined to be unsubstantiated. Three cases were investigated and determined to be unfounded. 

All data was collected and aggregated in order to assess and improve the effectiveness of our sexual abuse prevention, detection and response policies, practices and training.

The Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center continues to be committed to taking corrective actions to comply with the Prison Rape Elimination Act Standards and to continue to provide a safe environment for its residents. Since the inception of this program we have implemented the following actions:

We have trained 24 officers in PREA investigations.

We implemented a PREA hotline, internal and external, for the confidential reporting by residents within the facility and access to the National PREA Hotline for reporting outside of the facility.

Orientate all incoming residents on Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003. Additionally, all staff advise residents daily, during expectations on each shift, how to report incidents of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct and sexual abuse.

Written and distributed new policies and procedures to all staff within our institution educating them on the importance of PREA.

Created a PREA section on our website to educate the public on our policies.

We have updated our monitoring technology by upgrading cameras.

The policy of the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center is to provide a safe, humane and secure environment free from threat of sexual abuse for all residents in custody by maintaining a program of prevention, detection and response. It is our resolution that no resident will suffer in silence. We will maintain and ensure a safe and secure environment for the public, staff and residents alike.

2022 DOJ PREA Audit 2019 DOJ PREA Audit

2020 Annual Report  2019 Annual Report  2018 Annual Report

2020 SSV  2019 SSV  2018 SSV  2017 SSV