The Federal Bureau of Prisons was sued by eight prisoners from a San Francisco Bay Area prison on Wednesday, August 16, who claim that sexual abuse and exploitation have continued despite the convictions of the previous warden and many former employees.
In addition to the current warden and 12 current and former guards, the prisoners and the California Coalition for Women Prisoners have named the state of California and the city of Oakland as defendants in a lawsuit. It claims the Bureau of Prisons and Dublin facility employees failed to take adequate measures to stop sexual assault dating back to the 1990s.
A prison study conducted by the AP News last year revealed a long-standing culture of abuse and cover-ups. The Federal Bureau of Prisons acknowledged the shortcomings and promised a cultural shift in response to the media attention.
Allegation of Failure to Take Action
Amaris Montes, an attorney with Rights Behind Bars who is representing the plaintiffs, claims that the Bureau of Prisons has failed to confront widespread misbehavior among its ranks and failed to ensure the safety of individuals in its care. She said prisoners had been subjected to rape, groping, voyeurism, forced stripping, sexually explicit comments, and much more on a daily basis.
In a report by USA Today, the complaint requests that an outside agency monitor the facility to ensure that prisoners have a safe and anonymous venue to report mistreatment. It also demands that all victims be provided free access to medical, psychiatric, and legal aid.
The plaintiffs are seeking class-action status for their lawsuit and are advocating for compassionate release for victims as well as a "U visa," a special immigration program for victims of crime, to be awarded to people who are already in the country illegally.
Reported Culture of Sexual Assault
In March, former warden Ray J. Garcia was sentenced to 70 months in prison for sexually assaulting three female prisoners and forcing them to appear nude for photographs in their cells. Garcia was the first of eight prison staff members, including a chaplain, to stand trial on charges of mistreating prisoners.
According to Montes, a culture of sexual assault remains in the minimum-security prison, and prisoners who report breaches continue to risk reprisal, such as isolation and property confiscation.
An ex-inmate claims an officer at the federal jail sexually molested her after promising to help her gain a compassionate release. She claims to have seen prisoners sexually abused by guards and punished against those who spoke out about it. After her cellmate complained of assault, she said she was isolated and had her stuff taken away.
Donald Murphy, a spokesman for the Bureau of Prisons, has claimed that the agency would not discuss any current investigations or lawsuits.
