We post news and comment on federal criminal justice issues, focused primarily on trial and post-conviction matters, legislative initiatives, and sentencing issues.

SENATE PASSES BOP PRISON CAMERA, RADIO REFORM

The Senate last week passed legislation to increase the number of cameras in federal prisons.

The bill, The Prison Camera Reform Act of 2021, S.2899, requires the Director of the Bureau of Prisons – currently Michael Carvajal – to address deficiencies and upgrade security cameras and radio systems to ensure the health and safety of employees and inmates. The bill will require the Director to report to Congress within 90 days on deficiencies and a plan to upgrade cameras, two-way radios, and public address systems. If the bill passes the House – likely, given the Senate vote was unanimous – upgrades would be required within three years with annual progress reports to Congress.

In a 2016 report, the Office of the Inspector General for the Dept. of Justice determined that “deficiencies within the BOP’s security camera system have affected the OIG’s ability to secure prosecutions of staff and inmates in BOP contraband introduction cases, and these same problems adversely impact the availability of critical evidence to support administrative or disciplinary action against staff an inmates.”

Last summer, the Associated Press reported that over a year and a half, 29 prisoners had escaped from minimum-security BOP facilities across the U.S. — and nearly half have not been caught. At some institutions, the Post said, doors “are left unlocked, security cameras are broken and officials sometimes don’t notice an inmate is missing for hours.”

Forbes, New Bill Aims To Upgrade Camera Systems In Federal Prison For More Accountability (October 21, 2021)

S.2899 – Prison Camera Reform Act of 2021

AP, Prison break: 29 inmates escape federal lockups in 18 months — including in Colorado (June 11, 2021)

– Thomas L. Root