The Laurens County Detention Center is sharing in a grant designed to help reduce rape in detention centers. County Detention Centers for Laurens, Spartanburg and Anderson Counties were recently awarded $300,000 to “Establish “Zero Tolerance” Cultures for Sexual Abuse in Local Adult and Juvenile Detention Facilities.” The money comes from the National Prison Rape Elimination Resource Center, known as “PREA.” The money is to be used to assist these three detention facilities with implementation of Department of Justice National “PREA” Standards.
Over 100 agencies nationwide applied for grant funding. Of these, 43 were awarded funding ranging from $19,000 to a maximum high of $300,000. Spartanburg, Anderson, and Laurens are the only counties in South Carolina awarded funding. These counties will work collaboratively with the assistance consultants in Washington and Columbia to establish processes and procedures designed to promote zero-tolerance cultures for sexual abuse within these three county detention facilities.
This tri-county collaboration, with Spartanburg County as the lead agency, will allow these agencies to develop a robust and comprehensive program that will serve as a model for other county detention facilities in South Carolina.