[Trigger Warning: Mention of Rape]

Gary Manufacturing is always looking for ways to innovate products of all types across many industries. For many years we have produced shower curtains for the Department of Corrections that gives institutions another tool to protect those in their care from a deeply troubling yet commonly occurring issue.

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was passed by Congress to “provide for the analysis of the incidence and effects of prison rape in federal, state, and local institutions and to provide information, resources, recommendations and funding to protect individuals from prison rape.” (Prison Rape Elimination Act, 2003.)

For a shower curtain to meet PREA standards it needs to allow staff to see what is happening in each shower stall, while still offering the inmate their privacy. Gary Manufacturing offers many different solutions to our institutional customers to meet PREA regulations.

Clear vinyl windows are an unmatched solution for many facilities that need to meet PREA standards. The benefits of clear vinyl windows when pairing them with a solid vinyl means you can offer the inmate privacy in the shower while still allowing the staff to see what is happening above the shoulder and below the knee. This greatly reduces the opportunity for any dangerous activity.

Many institutions pair the clear vinyl window and solid vinyl with a mesh heading. Our mesh meets the standard of allowing the staff to see what is happening above the shoulder with the additional benefit of allowing air to circulate and steam to escape.

At Gary Manufacturing we offer a standard window sizing of 17 inches but can customize to meet the needs of each shower room configuration.

While not necessary for PREA, many institutions also need to meet breakaway regulations so the inmate cannot hurt themselves. Gary Manufacturing provides two different solutions to meet this need: Fold-over and Velcro.

Our fold-over breakaway shower curtains are constructed to fold over the curtain rod and attach to themselves using either snaps or, more commonly, Velcro. This solution allows for durable strength but will still give way if heavy force is used and eliminates the need for metal grommets and hooks.

Our Velcro breakaway shower curtains are simpler in that there is a strip of Velcro along the top of the shower curtain that would attach to a system the facility has in place or directly to the wall or ceiling. We also offer Velcro slider tabs that will insert into a track system. This solution is the most popular among many facilities as it offers a quick release of the curtain should the need arise.

Gary Manufacturing is proud to be part of the community that uses our resources to help offer solutions for these avoidable tragedies. We offer high-quality products with low minimums. Our quick turnaround time can get your institution outfitted with shower curtains meeting PREA standards in less than a month.

Call us at 1-800-775-0804 or email sales@garymanufacturing.com for a free quote today!

For more information on PREA check out the National PREA Resource Center at https://www.prearesourcecenter.org/