What does voluntary reporting mean in PREA?

• A. Inmates or staff report abuse or harassment only when instructed by a supervisor
• B. Inmates or staff report abuse or harassment of their own free will, with protections against retaliation
• C. Reports must be made through a formal system by security staff only
• D. Reports are automatically generated by monitoring systems

Answer: (B)

Voluntary reporting means individuals choose to report abuse or harassment of their own free will, and they have protections against retaliation for making that report. This emphasizes personal agency and safety: people are not required to report because a supervisor tells them to, nor is reporting limited to a formal security channel or automatic monitoring. PREA recognizes that effective reporting relies on individuals feeling free to come forward and knowing they won’t face retaliation.

The other options describe processes that are not about personal, voluntary disclosure. Requiring reporting only when instructed by a supervisor is coercive, and reporting through security staff only narrows who can report to a formal channel. Automatic reports generated by monitoring systems don’t involve a person choosing to disclose an event at all.