TAZEWELL COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Jail - PREA Annual Report

TAZEWELL COUNTY FACILITY PREA COORDINATOR’S 2023 ANNUAL REPORT

This report has been prepared in accordance with §115.87 and §115.88 of the PREA Standards
in order to address and improve the effectiveness of the Tazewell County Justice Center in sexual abuse prevention, detection, response policies, practices, and training. In subsequent years, the information collected for this report will be used to identify problem area and to take corrective action on an ongoing basis.

Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) is a federal law that prohibits sexual abuse and misconduct in correctional settings such as prisons, jails, lockups, juvenile facilities and community confinement facilities.

 

The Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office is committed to emphasizing a zero-tolerance for sexual abuse or harassment of detainees/inmates, either by staff or other detainees/inmates. It shall be the policy of the Tazewell County Justice Center to provide a safe and secure environment for all detainees, employees, contractors, and volunteers, free from the threat of sexual abuse or harassment by effective policies and procedures designed for preventing, reporting, responding to, investigating, and tracking incidents or allegations of sexual abuse or harassment. All claims of sexual abuse or harassment will be investigated in a manner that avoids unnecessary embarrassment or indignity to the detainee/inmate. It shall also be the policy of the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office to pursue administrative, disciplinary, and/or criminal sanctions against any detainee/inmate, staff member, contractor, or volunteer found to have committed sexual abuse or assault against a detainee/inmate. It shall be the responsibility of the health care staff to provide immediate first-aid to the victim and to refer the detainee/inmate to the appropriate medical facility.

General Information

During 2023, there were 3849 new admissions into the Tazewell County Justice Center. Of the new admissions 2687 were males and 1162 were females. The average daily population was 108 males and 22 females.

PREA Report Activity

The table below indicates the total number of “Detainee/Inmate against Detainee/Inmate”, and “Detainee/Inmate against Staff” Sexual Abuse and/or Sexual Harassment and Voyeurism reports that occurred each year.

JAN - DEC Detainee/Inmate Against
Detainee/Inmate Reports
Detainee/Inmate Against
Staff Reports
2016 5 1
2017 0 0
2018 1 5
2019 0 0
2020 0 0
2021 3 3
2022 1 1
2023 7 2

PREA Report Findings

Substantiated: The event was investigated and determined to have occurred based on a preponderance of the evidence.


Unsubstantiated:
The investigation concluded that evidence was insufficient to determine whether or not the event occurred.

Unfounded: The investigation determined that the event did NOT occur.

Not PREA: The investigation determined that the incident was not actually a PREA incident.

The table below indicates the findings of the investigation into “Detainee/Inmate Against Detainee/Inmate” PREA allegations of Nonconsensual Sexual Acts that occurred each year.

JAN - DEC Substantiated Unsubstantiated Unfounded NOT PREA Ongoing
2016 0 0 0 0 0
2017 0 0 0 0 0
2018 0 0 0 0 0
2019 0 0 3 1 0
2020 0 0 3 1 0
2021 0 4 0 0 0
2022 0 0 0 0 0
2023 0 1 1 0 0

The table below indicates the findings of the investigation into “Detainee/Inmate Against Detainee/Inmate” PREA allegations of Sexual Harassment that occurred each year.

JAN - DEC Substantiated Unsubstantiated Unfounded NOT PREA Ongoing
2016 0 5 0 0 0
2017 0 0 0 0 0
2018 1 0 1 0 0
2019 0 0 1 0 0
2020 1 0 0 0 0
2021 0 0 0 0 0
2022 0 0 0 0 0
2023 0 2 3 0 0

The table below indicates the findings of the investigation into “Staff Against Detainee/Inmate” PREA allegations of Staff Sexual Misconduct that occurred each year.

JAN - DEC Substantiated Unsubstantiated Unfounded NOT PREA Ongoing
2016 0 1 0 0 0
2017 0 0 0 0 0
2018 0 0 11 0 0
2019 0 0 0 0 0
2020 0 0 0 0 0
2021 0 0 3 0 0
2022 1 3 0 0 0
2023 0 0 2 0 0

The table below indicates the findings of the investigation into “Staff Against Detainee/Inmate” PREA allegations of Staff Sexual Harassment that occurred each year.

JAN - DEC Substantiated Unsubstantiated Unfounded NOT PREA Ongoing
2016 0 0 0 0 0
2017 0 0 0 0 0
2018 0 0 4 0 0
2019 0 0 0 0 0
2020 0 0 0 0 0
2021 0 0 0 0 0
2022 0 0 0 0 0
2023 0 0 0 0 0

The table below indicates the findings of the investigation into “Staff Against Detainee/Inmate” PREA allegations of Voyeurism that occurred each year.

JAN - DEC Substantiated Unsubstantiated Unfounded NOT PREA Ongoing
2016 0 0 0 0 0
2017 0 0 0 0 0
2018 0 0 0 0 0
2019 0 0 0 0 0
2020 0 0 0 0 0
2021 0 0 1 0 0
2022 0 1 0 0 0
2023 0 0 0 0 0

PREA Incident Reviews

The Tazewell County Justice Center has implemented a policy to investigate and review incidents of sexual abuse and harassment per PREA Standard §115.86. Under this Standard, a review team must conduct a sexual abuse incident review at the conclusion of every sexual abuse investigation, including where the allegation has not been substantiated, unless the allegation has been determined to be unfounded. Such review will ordinarily occur within thirty (30) days of the conclusion of the investigation. The review team will include upper-level management officials, with input from line supervisors, and investigators. The review team will implement the recommendations for improvement, or document its reasons for not doing so.

 

Review Criteria:

  1. Consider whether the allegation or investigation indicates a need to change policy or
    practice to better prevent, detect, or respond to sexual abuse;

  2. Consider whether the alleged incident was motivated by race; ethnicity; gender identity; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex identification, status, or perceived status; or gang affiliation; or was motivated or otherwise caused by other group dynamics at the facility;

  3. Examine the area in the facility where the allegation occurred to assess whether physical barriers in the area may enable abuse;

  4. Assess the adequacy of staffing levels in that area during different shifts;

  5. Assess whether monitoring technology should be deployed or augmented to supplement supervision by staff; and

  6. Prepare a report of its findings, including but not necessarily limited to determinations made pursuant to paragraphs (d)(1) through (d)(5) of this section, and any recommendations for improvement and submit such report to the facility head and PREA Coordinator.

Corrective Action Completed in 2023

  • Reviewed and updated Tazewell County Justice Center Policy and Procedures to meet PREA Standards.

  • Increased staffing levels.
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