CJJ Submits Comments on Recommended Standards to Prevent and Respond to Sexual Abuse of Court-Involved Youth

On May 10, 2010, CJJ was among more than 700 organizations and agencies from across the nation to submit comments to the U.S. Department of Justice regarding proposed national standards for the prevention, detection, response, and monitoring of sexual abuse developed by the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission (NPREC). Click here to read the CJJ comments.

Authorized under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, NPREC is a bipartisan, nine-member commission charged with recommending standards to enhance detection, prevention, reduction, and punishment of the sexual assault of incarcerated individuals and individuals under community supervision, including juveniles. NPREC issued its final report, and related proposed national standards, on June 23, 2009. U.S. Attorney General Holder is expected to review and adopt final standards within the next few months. The NPREC report, and related proposed standards, can be viewed in their entirety here.

Comments submitted to the Justice Department by CJJ are by no means the end of CJJ’s involvement with the PREA standards. In that CJJ anticipates changes and revisions to the standards before final adoption, as well as an implementation period, CJJ will continue to draw upon the expertise and unique positions of its members to ensure that CJJ’s voice is heard and that we as nation effectively do what is in the best interest of youth, families and communities.