When Checking a Box is not Enough: The (Un)Readability of PREA Messaging

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was implemented to prevent sexual assault within correctional facilities. To communicate PREA principles to inmates, written materials including handbooks, policies, and brochures are utilized. This research evaluates the readability of PREA messaging, employin...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Krienert, Jessie L. 1974- (Author) ; Walsh, Jeffrey A. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2023
In: The prison journal
Year: 2023, Volume: 103, Issue: 6, Pages: 728-748
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Keywords:
Incarceration
Policy
readability
PREA
Description
Summary:The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was implemented to prevent sexual assault within correctional facilities. To communicate PREA principles to inmates, written materials including handbooks, policies, and brochures are utilized. This research evaluates the readability of PREA messaging, employing three established metrics: Flesh Reading Ease Score, Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook. Findings reveal significant deviation from recommended reading targets for both the general (7th–8th grade) and inmate (5th–6th grade) populations. Prison Rape Elimination Act policies averaged a 16th-grade level, raising concerns regarding the efficacy of PREA implementation and compliance in light of potential comprehension challenges.
ISSN:1552-7522
DOI:10.1177/00328855231208008