Sometimes when news of a new law becomes public, we’re left wondering: Why wasn’t this a law long before?
Such is the case with the Federal Prison Oversight Act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Thursday.
The bipartisan bill overhauls inspection procedures and establishes more independent oversight of the nation’s 122 prison facilities under federal control. It mandates routine inspections by the Department of Justice inspector general and creates a new ombudsman who will be responsible for making sure the facilities are meeting standards in regards to the health, safety, welfare and rights of those incarcerated, as well as staff.
The bill requires the inspector general to do “comprehensive, risk-based inspections of the BOP’s 122 correctional facilities, provide recommendations to fix problems and assign each facility a risk score, with higher-risk facilities required to be inspected more often.”
Those findings must be reported to Congress and made public — positive steps that should lead to more timely corrections to any deficiencies.
Again, it sounds like something that most of us probably thought was already in place, but those familiar with the conditions in some federal prisons, especially those more notorious ones like FCI-Hazelton in Preston County, know that the federal government and those in charge have been failing in a number of ways.
Credit goes to U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito for championing this cause after learning of the poor conditions at the Hazelton facility.
“Our bipartisan, bicameral Federal Prison Oversight Act is historic legislation that will truly improve safety and accountability in all federal prison facilities for both staff and inmates,” Manchin said.
“Following serious accounts of abuse, staff shortages and dangerous conditions at federal prisons in West Virginia and across the nation, it is even more critical that this commonsense legislation is swiftly implemented. I am grateful to my bipartisan colleagues who worked together to get it across the finish line, and I look forward to seeing its positive impacts on our prison systems,” he said.
Capito said she was appalled by the conditions that were revealed at some of the facilities.
“Investigations into our federal prisons produced shocking and alarming findings, and reports of misconduct, abuse and inadequate facilities are unacceptable,” she said.
“The state and condition of our federal prisons is something I have frequently discussed with constituents, families and corrections officers, and it’s a positive development that needed oversight will soon be implemented,” Capito said.
It’s oversight that is most welcomed, as well as long overdue.