Webinars
Shining a Light Behind Bars: The Role of Advocates in Prison Audits
Imagine receiving a phone call one day from a person hired to audit your local prison. The auditor explains that she is assessing the facility’s efforts to prevent and respond to sexual abuse, and she wants to know about your work delivering services to prisoners there.
This is not as far-fetched of a scenario as it may seem. Every year, detention facilities nationwide are audited on their compliance with national Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards — including its requirement of providing inmate access to outside rape crisis services. A new JDI webinar, Shining a Light Behind Bars, will explain the PREA auditing process and will review the type of information that advocates are likely to be asked to provide. The webinar will also show advocates how they can participate meaningfully in the audits without compromising their relationships with facilities or, their clients’ confidentiality.
The 90-minute webinar is for staff at rape crisis centers and other victim services agencies who want to work with survivors of sexual abuse in detention. No other prior knowledge is needed. This series of webinars is being supported by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.
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Learn the Basics: The Prison Rape Elimination Act for Victim Service Providers
Have you heard about the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) but have no idea what the law does or why it matters? Or maybe you have a vague idea, but want more on what it means for victim services providers?
In this webinar, “Learn the Basics: The Prison Rape Elimination Act for Victim Services Providers,” participants will learn about PREA and the PREA national standards, which seek to end sexual abuse and sexual harassment in detention facilities.
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Upholding Your Principles: Strategies for Protecting Confidentiality for Incarcerated Survivors
Confidentiality is critical to providing effective services to survivors — and no less so when that person is in custody. In fact, confidentiality takes on a heightened importance behind bars, given the high risk of retaliation facing inmates who report abuse. This webinar will take a close look at corrections staff members’ and advocates’ different perspectives on the issue of confidentiality, and help prepare advocates to negotiate with corrections departments to ensure it. You will learn about the differences between the PREA standards on confidential support services, outside reporting entities, and third-party reporting — and will discuss some of the challenges around having rape crisis centers serve as a reporting mechanism for corrections agencies.