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.