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WHEREAS, 70% of prisoners in adult prisons were once juvenile offenders, so the long -term effect of preventing harm to youth will decrease recidivism and substantially reduce the adult prison population and the associated economic, social and human cost; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Justice has an opportunity to ban the placement of youth (under 18) in adult jails and prisons as part of the implementation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA); and WHEREAS, PREA was signed into lacy by President Bush in 2003 to address sexual violence behind bars; and WHEREAS, a key component of the lacy was the development of national standards addressing prisoner rape and the requirements would apply to all detention facilities, including federal and state prisons, jails, police lock -ups, private facilities, and immigration detention centers; nosy, therefore, be it RESOLVED, by the General Assembly of the League of California Cities, assembled during the Annual Conference in San Francisco, September 23, 2011, that the League includes in its 2011 -12 Federal Legislative Program support for standards implementing the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 which would ban the placement of young people under the age of 18 in adult jails and prisons. Back6round Information on Resolution No. 4 Source: City of Los Angeles What is the Prison Rape Elimination Act? The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003 is a Federal lacy established to address the elimination and prevention of sexual assault and rape in correctional systems. PREA applies to all federal, state, and local prisons, jails, police lock -ups, private facilities, and community settings such as residential facilities. The major provisions of PREA are to: • Develop standards for detection, prevention, reduction and punishment of prison rape • Collect and disseminate information on the incidence of prison rape • Award grants and technical assistance to help state governments implement the Act Youth in adult facilities are at the greatest risk of prison rape. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 10,000 children are held in adult jails and prisons daily, and the annual number of youth exposed to the dangers of sexual assault in adult facilities is significantly higher because of the "flow" of youth entering and exiting facilities. Studies from across the nation confirm that youth tried as adults fit the risk profile of those persons at the highest risk of sexual assault. Studies also show that the overwhelming majority ofyouth tried as adults are nonviolent offenders, and a considerable proportion arc first -time offenders. In more than half of the states, there is no lower age limit on who can be prosecuted as an adult, so even young children can be prosecuted as adults and sent to adult jails and prisons. How Does PREA Apply to Jails? PREA seeks to insure that jails and other correctional settings protect inmates from sexual assault, sexual harassment, "consensual sex" with employees and inmate - inmate sexual assault. These violations affect security and staff safety, and pose long -term risks to inmates and staff inside jails, and to the public when victimized inmates are released into the community. Where is PREA at? The U.S. Department of Justice is currently considering banning the placement of youth (under 18) in adult jails and prisons as part of the implementation of PREA. As such, this resolution seeks to raise awareness of 13