(BOP) - I want to first thank the Deputy Attorney General for her commitment and support of the Federal Bureau of Prisons as evident in the message she sent to us regarding the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). I too want to acknowledge our dedicated employees who have worked diligently over the last two decades to uphold the letter of the law.
PREA was a necessary response to sexual assaults occurring in custody and intended to make our prisons safer and change the culture around and awareness of prison rape. The PREA guidelines, as established in 2012, are now a part of our daily operations. As you well know, as a law enforcement agency, our core values guide our daily endeavors. To advance these efforts, as part of our strategic planning this past year, we updated our core values to better align with the work we do to achieve our challenging law enforcement mission. These values emphasize accountability, integrity, respect, compassion, and correctional excellence throughout the agency. As dedicated corrections professionals, we are driven by a commitment to ethical practices, continuous improvement, and respect for all, while shaping a culture of both individual accountability and collective responsibility.
While we know that the vast majority of FBOP employees are hard-working, ethical, diligent corrections professionals, there are those who fail to meet our standards which demand decency and humanity inside our nation's federal prisons. We have and will continue to work diligently to root out employee misconduct. In that vein, you have heard these clear expectations from me on multiple occasions, so I appreciate you working day in and day out to create cultures where every employee and person in our custody knows that they can come forward without fear of retaliation. From Correctional Officers to Wardens, if heinous acts or retaliation occur, we will hold those individuals accountable and celebrate the justice these individuals face for betraying the trust bestowed upon them.
The culture of the past which tolerated abuse and failed to meet the promises of PREA will be met with swift justice. All individuals in our custody have a right to be physically, mentally, and sexually safe. Reporting abuse and misconduct takes a tremendous amount of courage, whether it is an individual in our custody or an FBOP employee, and those who report such abuse will be free from retaliation.
The FBOP has fully embraced PREA and has a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct. We have worked diligently to ensure collaboration with the Inspector General's Office, the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, local law enforcement, US Attorneys, and others to ensure access to our institutions and information in order to improve timely investigations as we work to hold people accountable.
Developing meaningful change throughout the agency is not something that happens in a moment. Change requires focus, effort, and persistence over time. I believe our efforts over the last year have generated systemic change agency-wide and our work continues.
Thank you for being dedicated law enforcement professionals, who risk your own safety each day to ensure the safety of others while helping those in our care rejoin our communities as responsible neighbors.