Justice Department investigates conditions in DC jails after alleged civil rights violations
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department is launching an investigation to determine whether conditions in Washington, D.C.'s jails violate the constitutional rights of inmates.
What we know:
The investigation comes after a Washington Post report revealed a class-action lawsuit filed by inmates who allege they were fed mice and bugs during their time in an aging District jail. The Justice Department notified D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser of its investigation on Monday, days after the report made headlines.
The investigation will look at D.C. Department of Corrections facilities and will aim to determine if the department engages in a pattern of violating detainees' rights.
"The Constitution protects the rights of every incarcerated American, including those held in custody in our nation’s capital," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. "We are committed to upholding our federal civil rights laws so that no inmate is confined in unconstitutional conditions or subject to unconstitutional mistreatment at the District of Columbia Department of Corrections."
The Justice Department said it received "numerous allegations" about conditions in D.C. correctional facilities, including a report from the District's auditor. According to the department, those allegations include failure to protect detainees from excessive force, failure to provide adequate medical care, failure to keep safe and sanitary conditions and failure to provide adequate nutrition.
The Justice department has not yet reached any conclusions about the allegations, officials said in a statement Monday.
Under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the Justice Department has the authority to investigate violations of prisoners' rights that are the result of patterns or practices of resistance to those rights. Previous CRIPA investigations at other correctional systems have resulted in settlement agreements that led to reforms, the Justice Department said.
Anyone with information on civil rights violations in D.C. jails is urged to contact the Department of Justice online here.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Department of Justice and The Washington Post.