Rick ReissSpecial to Valley NewsWith unanimous Congressional support, President George W. Bush signed into federal law the Prison Rape Elimination Act, i.e., PREA, in 2003.This federal law is widely seen as a positive step forward in advancing human rights and dignity for those who, despite their violations of law and subsequent incarcerations, are entitled to serve their time free of rape, sexual abuse and sexual coercion by other inmates or compromised officers and staff.A major provision of PREA is a mandate for the U.S. Department of Justice to ”make the prevention of prison rape a top priority in each prison system.” This includes all federal, state, local and juvenile correctional and detention facilities.Despite the advances within American corrections due t
