115.222/115.254/115.288 –  Website PREA Notice

Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA):

In 2003, the United States Congress signed the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) into law. This landmark bill was created with the intention of uncovering, curbing, and disciplining sexual abuse, assault, and harassment within public and private confinement facilities. PREA created a set of Federal standards to document and reduce sexual misconduct across Federal, State, and local confinement facilities by holding facilities more accountable. In tandem with PREA, the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission was established. This Federal law was designed to be wide-ranging in the application and includes halfway facilities such as Damascus Way Reentry Center.

Damascus Way PREA Compliance:

As a designated halfway house, Damascus Way Reentry Center must comply with the standards outlined in PREA. To adhere to these standards, Damascus Way submits to a PREA audit every three years (see 2022 audits here and here). This audit is conducted by an independent agent not employed by Damascus Way.

Our Policy:

Damascus Way Reentry Center maintains zero tolerance for client-on-client or staff-on-client sexual assault, abuse, or harassment. This policy extends to all staff employed with Damascus Way. Each allegation of sexual assault, abuse, or harassment will be investigated. All identified criminal behavior and misconduct related to sexual assault will be reported to the proper authorities.

Golden Valley Facility – The Golden Valley Police Department is contacted to conduct sexual abuse investigations.

Rochester Facility – The Rochester Police Department is contacted to conduct sexual abuse investigations.

Reporting:

If you suspect that a client is a victim of sexual assault or harassment, it can be reported to:

Golden Valley – Site Director Marlin Meszaros at (763) 545-6558

Rochester – Site Director Nick Abbott at (507) 292-1700

Damascus Way is committed to maintaining an organizational culture of zero-tolerance toward all forms of sexual abuse and harassment through annual staff training, and client education is supported by comparing the final statistics for the current year and previous years. Supporting documentation shows that the Golden Valley and Rochester locations have not had any allegations of sexual abuse or harassment reported.

Damascus Way redacts all personal identifiers (name of victim, date of birth, sex of victim, date reported, and reporting party) when reporting annual statistics.

GOLDEN VALLEY 2023 STATISTICS

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

2022 STATISTICS

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

2021 STATISTICS

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

2020 STATISTICS

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Definitions:

Unfounded Allegations – means an allegation that was investigated and determined not to have occurred.

Unsubstantiated Allegations – means an allegation that was investigated and the investigation produced insufficient evidence to make a final determination as to whether or not the event occurred.

Substantiated Allegations – means an allegation that was investigated and determined to have occurred.

ROCHESTER 2023 STATISTICS

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

2022 STATISTICS

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

2021 STATISTICS

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

2020 STATISTICS

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Staff on Client Complaint Sexual Abuse // Sexual Harassment

Unfounded Allegations 0 // 0

Unsubstantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Substantiated Allegations 0 // 0

Definitions:

Unfounded Allegations – means an allegation that was investigated and determined not to have occurred.

Unsubstantiated Allegations – means an allegation that was investigated and the investigation produced insufficient evidence to make a final determination as to whether or not the event occurred.

Substantiated Allegations – means an allegation that was investigated and determined to have occurred.