What does zero tolerance mean in PREA compliance?

• A. Only actions that are illegal are prohibited
• B. No staff-to-resident sexual contact, abuse, or harassment is tolerated, and such conduct must be promptly addressed.
• C. Any staff-to-resident contact is allowed with notice
• D. Only certain types of harassment are prohibited

Answer: (B)

Zero tolerance in PREA means there is no room for staff-to-resident sexual abuse or harassment. Any such conduct is unacceptable and must be reported, investigated promptly, and addressed with appropriate accountability, regardless of the situation or severity. This stance requires swift steps to protect residents, support survivors, and take corrective action to prevent recurrence, along with ongoing staff training and policy enforcement.

Why the other ideas don’t fit: saying only illegal actions are prohibited misses the PREA scope, which covers abuse and harassment even if it isn’t prosecutable as a crime in every case. Saying any staff-to-resident contact is allowed with notice directly conflicts with zero tolerance. Saying only certain types of harassment are prohibited also contradicts the uncompromising standard that all staff-to-resident sexual abuse or harassment is not tolerated.