President Biden signed a significant prison overhaul bill into law Thursday. After the Federal Bureau of Prisons was implicated in a systemic problem of corruption and abuse, Congress passed the Federal Prison Oversight Act to increase oversight and accountability within the federal prison system.
Creation of Independent Ombudsperson
The new law creates an independent ombudsperson to oversee and investigate complaints within the system.
Reports of High-Profile Deaths and Systemic Issues
The bill followed reports of high-profile deaths in federal institutions, sexual assault perpetrated by staff, inmate escapes, and systematic understaffing.
Department of Justice’s Inspector General Inspections
The law also requires the Department of Justice’s inspector general to inspect all 122 federal prisons for risks and provide recommendations to rectify weaknesses.
Frequency of Inspections Based on Risk Scores
The inspector general will give each prison facility a risk score. If the facility receives a higher risk score, it will receive more frequent inspections.
Director of Bureau of Prisons’ Testimony
When testifying before Congress, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, Colette Peters, praised the bill and stated that her Bureau would need tens of millions of dollars in increased funds to carry out the mandate and “effectively respond to the additional oversight and make that meaningful, long-lasting change.”
Inspector General’s Unannounced Inspections
In 2023, Inspector General Michael Horowitz launched an unannounced inspection of several prison facilities and identified problematic staffing shortages in health and education programs, decaying infrastructure, and unsanitary and unsafe food conditions.
Inspector General’s Praise for New Prison Law
Horowitz praised the new law, saying it “recognizes the importance of our inspection program. We look forward to working with Congress to expand its impact.
Prison Director’s Remarks on New Law
Prison Director Peters stated that the new law will allow the agency to identify problems quickly and collect data to see trends before a crisis occurs.
Prison Director’s Vote of Confidence
Peters said, “We’ll see more announced visits– more unannounced visits from the inspector general. And then I think the ombudsman position is mighty too, for it to have a place where individuals can bring complaints forward and somebody is there to ensure that those complaints are asked and answered.”
Previous Prison Reform Bill
This is the second significant prison reform bill signed into law by President Biden. The first, in 2022, required the Bureau of Prisons to repair broken surveillance cameras and install new ones where needed.
Bureau of Prisons Overview
The Bureau of Prisons is the largest agency within the Department of Justice. It has more than 30,000 employees and 158,000 inmates, and its budget is about $8 billion.
Closure of Women’s Prison in Dublin, California
In April 2024, the Bureau of Prisons closed a women’s prison in Dublin, California. The institution had been dubbed the “rape club.” The sexual assaults were mostly perpetrated by prison staff.
Closure of Facilities Rather than Reform
The Bureau decided that rather than trying to reform the facility, it would close down the prison and move inmates elsewhere to secure their safety and protection better.
