The Justice Department announced today that it has opened an
investigation of the Arkansas Department of Corrections’ McPherson Unit, the
state prison for women in Newport, Arkansas.
The investigation will focus on whether women confined at McPherson have
been subjected to sexual abuse and sexual harassment by correctional
staff. The investigation will also
examine the prison’s treatment of transgender prisoners.
The department has received numerous allegations of sexual
abuse and sexual harassment of prisoners by multiple members of McPherson Unit
staff. Allegations include staff
engaging in sexual intercourse and other sexual acts with prisoners; exchanging
commissary money for sexual favors; and inappropriately watching prisoners
while they shower or change clothes, commenting on their private parts and, at
times, taking photos or video for reasons unrelated to correctional goals.
“Staff sexual abuse of prisoners violates the constitutional
rights of prisoners, undermines prison safety and security and can lead to
other crimes,” said the head of the Civil Rights Division, Principal Deputy
Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta.
“This investigation furthers the Justice Department’s goal of
zero-tolerance for sexual abuse and sexual harassment in our nation’s jails and
prisons. We hope to work cooperatively
with the state of Arkansas in conducting our inquiry and ensuring that
prisoners in its custody are not being sexually abused.”
The department has not reached any conclusions regarding the
allegations in this matter. As the
investigation moves forward, the department will work to determine whether
McPherson prisoners are subjected to a pattern or practice of sexual abuse and
sexual misconduct in violation of their constitutional rights.
The investigation will be conducted under the Civil Rights
of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA).
Under CRIPA, the department is authorized to investigate potential violations
of the constitutional rights of prisoners in prisons or jails operated by state
or local governments when there appears to be a pattern or practice of such
violations. The department has conducted
similar investigations in other jurisdictions, and recently entered into
settlement agreements that are expected to lead to important reforms following
its investigations of staff sexual abuse of women prisoners in Kansas and
Alabama.
No comments:
Post a Comment