Inspectors recommend PREA hotline agreement, refer PREA audit proposal to county commissioners

The inspectors of the Carbon County Prison voted to recommend that Carbon County execute an agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to establish a PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) hotline and referred a separate proposal for a PREA audit to the county commissioners after review by the county solicitor.

Supporters said the hotline would provide a third-party, documented channel for inmates to report allegations of sexual abuse or related violations that might not otherwise be reported through staff or sealed-envelope systems. A speaker identified as an inspector said the hotline provides documented evidence that a complaint was made to an independent party.

Opponents and some board members raised concerns that a hotline could generate numerous “nuisance” or unfounded reports, which could draw Department of Corrections scrutiny, create additional workload for the facility’s PREA coordinator and possibly affect outside funding if noncompliance is found. One inspector said the hotline could expose the facility to Department of Corrections oversight and auditing pressure.

The board voted to recommend execution of the PREA hotline agreement and later voted to refer a proposal from a consulting firm, identified in the meeting as Patrick Zirpoli (Millenville, Pa.), to conduct the facility’s PREA audit. The audit proposal was reported as $4,000 with an additional $1,000 charge if the facility enters a corrective-action period; board members asked the solicitor to clarify the circumstances that would trigger the additional charge before the county finalizes any contract.

The board’s motions were recorded as recommendations to the county commissioners; both items were to be submitted to the commissioners for final approval after solicitor review. The inspectors also requested that the solicitor check and report back on the $1,000 corrective-action supervision fee described in the audit proposal.

Votes at the meeting on PREA items were recorded by the inspectors as follows: the motion recommending the county execute the PREA hotline agreement carried; the motion to forward the PREA audit proposal to the commissioners carried with at least one inspector recorded as opposed during the vote. The board instructed staff to forward the agreements and proposals to the commissioners and to obtain solicitor review prior to county execution.

The inspectors emphasized the ongoing need to be PREA-compliant for audits and federal funding; several members said a formal reporting mechanism is required for PREA audits and certification.

No contract was executed at the meeting; both items were referred to the county commissioners with solicitor review and conditions noted.