Washington County Jail passes PREA test

MARIETTA, Ohio (WTAP) – The Washington County Jail has passed an important test called PREA.

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was enacted as federal law in 2003 with the goal of preventing and eliminating sexual assaults against prisoners and staff in all types of correctional facilities.

According to prison administrator Major Kevin Carr, the Washington County Jail underwent a test in which auditors from the Clarksburg Division of the U.S. Marshall Service determined whether the jail was complying with the parameters set out in the PREA Act to prevent misconduct among inmates and between staff and inmates within the jail.

“…the auditors present here spoke with about 20 inmates and several staff members to get inside information, so to speak. They discussed everything from security to the inmates' sense of safety in the facility to their rights.”

Major Carr states that the test covered over 45 different standards.

The prison met 44 of the standards and even exceeded the 45th standard.

“We have exceeded the standards and thoroughness of our applicant background process as well as our internal employee promotion process.”

Major Carr says that the successful completion of the test is entirely due to the teachers and staff who ensure that the prison runs smoothly and efficiently.

“I have to give a lot of credit to our staff and our supervisors for implementing this and following the policies and guidelines. You know, they've made this a better place. I'm very proud of that… there are only two agencies outside of Clarksburg that the Marshall Service works with and we're one of them and I'm very proud of that.”

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