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Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Reports

Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Reports

PREA Overview

In 2003, Congress enacted The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) which established a zero-tolerance standard for the incidence of prison rape within any confinement facility of a federal, state or local government. Thereafter, it developed and implemented national standards, effective August 20, 2013, for gathering data, as well as the detection, prevention, reduction, and punishment of prison rape. 

The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) is committed to ensuring a safe and humane environment for all prisoners. The MDOC maintains a zero policy of sexual violence against prisoners and investigates allegations of sexual harassment, abuse, misconduct, and overfamiliarity. Sexual abuse against prisoners is a violation of Department policy, institutional rules, and is a crime whether by staff or other prisoners.

Prisoner-on-prisoner sexual violence:  Abusive sexual contact and non-consensual sexual acts between or among prisoners without the other prisoner’s consent or with a prisoner who is unable to consent or refuse.

  • Abusive sexual contact: Physical contact (either direct­ly or through the clothing) with another prisoner for sexual purposes, including intentional touching of sexual areas but not including non-consensual sexual acts.
  • Non-consensual sexual acts: Non-consensual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio or any other intrusion or penetration, however slight, of any part of a person’s body or of any object into the genital or anal openings of another person’s body.

Staff overfamiliarity:  Conduct between an employee and a prisoner which has resulted in or is likely to result in intimacy, including but not limited to a kiss or a hug, or a close personal or non-work related association.

Staff sexual harassment:  Verbal or written statements or comments of a sexual nature directed by staff to a prisoner, demeaning references to gender or derogatory verbal or written statements or comments about body or clothing directed by staff to a prisoner, or profane or obscene language or gestures of a sexual nature directed by staff to a prisoner.

Staff sexual misconduct:  A sexual act directed by an employee toward a prisoner, including any of the following:

  • An attempted, threatened or requested sexual act or helping, advising or encouraging another employee to engage in a sexual act.
  • The intentional touching, either directly or through clothing, of a prisoner’s genitals, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh or buttocks with the intent to abuse, arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
  • Invasion of privacy for sexual gratification, indecent exposure or voyeurism.

All allegations of sexual abuse should be reported and will be investigated. To report, do one of the following:

  • Contact the facility
  • Call the Prison Rape Elimination Office Sexual Abuse Hotline at 517-335-5355 or toll free at 877-517-PREA (7732)
  • Report Online
  • Write the Prison Rape Elimination Office at:
    Michigan Department of Corrections
    Prison Rape Elimination Office
    P.O. Box 30003
    Lansing, MI 48909

    Provide as much detail as possible, including the following:
    • Prisoner victim’s name and MDOC number
    • Perpetrator’s name and ID number
    • Facility at which the incident occurred
    • When/where the incident occurred (date, time, location - i.e. cell, showers)
    • Incident description
    • Your name, contact number and relationship to the prisoner/victim
PREA Manager

Michigan Department of Corrections
Prison Rape Elimination Office
P.O. Box 30003
Lansing, MI 48909

Telephone: 517-335-5355
Toll Free: 877-517-PREA (7732)
Facsimile: 517-373-2558

All form fields are required unless labeled as optional.

Prisoner Victim

Perpetrator 1

Perpetrator 2 (if applicable)

Perpetrator 3 (if applicable)