We post news and comment on federal criminal justice issues, focused primarily on trial and post-conviction matters, legislative initiatives, and sentencing issues.
LAST WEEK AT THE BOP
Now for BOP news from the prior week that is so scandalous that the administration at one unnamed federal prison (we’ll call it “FCI Englewood” for easy reference) banned the LISA Newsletter this week as a threat to institutional security.
Hotline for Hazelton: The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia has set up a hotline for information related to civil rights abuses occurring at FCC Hazelton. The USAO is looking for information from witnesses or victims of physical assault while incarcerated at Hazelton.
The hotline number 1-855-WVA-FEDS and the email address is wvafeds@usdoj.gov.
One inmate – a Hazelton alum but now at another facility – complained to me in an email on Monday that the domain “@usdoj.gov” is blocked on BOP mail servers. At his request, I forwarded his message to the ND West Virginia U.S. Attorney’s Office. An Assistant U.S. Attorney responded yesterday to tell me the issue was being looked into.
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, Civil rights hotline created for federal prison in West Virginia (October 3, 2023)
National Alert Bags Phones: Cellphones held by prisoners in state and federal facilities were caught last week when a National Emergency Alert System test set off loud buzzing in the unlawfully possessed sets.
On Wednesday, cellphone users across the country received a loud alert from FEMA and the FCC to test the exchange of emergency messages at a national level. TMZ reports that COs at a New York State prison and FCI Coleman Low found cellphones buzzing from the emergency test.
The Daily Mail reported that “the test was conducted over a 30-minute window, meaning prisoners would have gotten the message if they turned their phones back on within the next 30 minutes.
Complex, Prisoners Across the United States Caught With Cell Phones During National Emergency Alert System Test (October 7, 2023)
Daily Mail, National emergency alert system ‘outed prisoners hiding phones and made them easy targets for guards’ after millions received message across the U.S. (October 7, 2023)
Take This Job… BOP COs are hoping the recent approval of retention bonuses will offer some relief to a workforce that’s been struggling for years.
The Office of Personnel Management has approved pay bonuses amounting to 25% of annual for COs working in several BOP facilities nationwide. The retention incentive amounts to 25% of an employee’s base salary.
Brandy Moore White, president of Council 33 of the American Federation of Government Employees (representing over 30,000 BOP employees), welcomed the one-time bonuses, but warned that “the pay incentives won’t be enough to stave off massive, ongoing staffing challenges across the entire agency,” the Federal News Network reported. “I will be brutally honest,” she said. “I think they’re Band-Aids.”
Federal News Network, New 25% retention bonuses at Bureau of Prisons only a ‘Band-Aid’ for larger staffing issues (October 4, 2023)
Ernst Critical of BOP Sex Abuse Nonresponse: Sen Joni Ernst (R-IA) blasted BOP Director Colette Peters last week for failing to address prolonged safety and staffing concerns voiced by staff.
Last December, Ernst queried the agency about what it was doing to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against staff at USP Thomson. In a follow-up letter sent October 4th, Ernst said “Last year, my letter sought numerous answers regarding your bureau’s plan to properly respond to the ongoing criminal activity occurring at USP Thomson… I am dismayed by BOP’s slow response to this situation and apparent lack of corrective action in preparation for future similar situations.”
Press Release from Sen. Jodi Ernst, Ernst Demands Answers on Sexual Misconduct at USP Thomson (October 4, 2023)
– Thomas L. Root
