The Senate passed legislation on Wednesday to revamp oversight and increase transparency within the troubled federal Bureau of Prisons after reports from The Associated Press revealed widespread corruption in the federal prison system. This led to heightened congressional scrutiny.
The Federal Prison Oversight Act, previously approved by the House in May, now heads to President Joe Biden for final approval. The act establishes an independent ombudsman to handle and investigate complaints related to widespread issues such as sexual abuse, criminal misconduct by staff, chronic understaffing, escapes, and high-profile deaths in federal prisons.
Furthermore, the act mandates that the Justice Department’s Inspector General conduct risk-based inspections of all 122 federal prison facilities, provide recommendations to address deficiencies, and assign each facility a risk score. Facilities deemed high-risk will undergo more frequent inspections as a result.
Senator Jon Ossoff, the bill’s sponsor, introduced the legislation in 2022 while spearheading an investigation into the Bureau of Prisons as the Senate Homeland Security Committee’s subcommittee chair. The bill passed unanimously on Wednesday without any objections from senators.
Advocates for incarcerated individuals also applauded the bill’s passage, seeing it as a crucial step towards bringing transparency and accountability to an agency that has long operated without adequate oversight.
In addition to inspecting prison facilities, the legislation requires the Justice Department’s Inspector General to report findings and recommendations to Congress and the public. The Bureau of Prisons must then respond with a corrective action plan within 60 days.
Separately, Biden signed another bill introduced by Ossoff in December 2022, which required the Bureau of Prisons to address surveillance camera issues.
An ongoing investigation by The Associated Press has revealed previously undisclosed flaws within the Bureau of Prisons, including escapes, violence, deaths, severe staffing shortages, and struggles responding to emergencies.
This comprehensive reform effort aims to address systemic issues within the federal prison system and ensure the safety and well-being of inmates and staff members.
Associated Press reporter Farnoush Amiri in Washington contributed to this report.
