Changes could be coming to Hazelton, other federal prisons with new legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WBOY) — Changes may be coming to the federal prison system, as the Federal Prison Oversight Act passed in the United States Senate Wednesday.

The bill , which was cosponsored by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), passed unanimously in the Senate and would require the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Inspector General to conduct risk-based inspections of the 122 correctional facilities operated by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and provide recommendations to fix problems and assign each facility a risk score, with higher-risk facilities required to be inspected more often.

Once the Inspector General completes its inspections, the findings and recommendations must be reported to Congress and the public, and the BOP must respond with a corrective action plan within 60 days.

The bill would also require an independent Ombudsman to investigate the health, safety, welfare, and rights of inmates and staff inside the prisons. The Ombudsman would create a secure hotline and online form for inmates’ family, friends, and representatives to submit complaints and inquiries.

The bill comes after a whistleblower letter alleging covered-up escapes and abuse at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Hazelton in Preston County last year, as well as a DOJ Office of the Inspector General’s report released earlier this year that highlighted the issues surrounding inmate deaths in the federal prison system .

“Investigations into our Federal prisons produced shocking and alarming findings,” Sen. Capito said in a press release. “I was incredibly upset to read reports of misconduct by some prison officials, the conditions of some facilities, and the abuse of inmates. I am glad to see the Federal Prison Oversight Act pass the Senate. After discussions with numerous constituents, families, and corrections officers, I strongly support this legislation which aims to correct these issues within the Federal prison system, and I encourage the president to sign it promptly into law.”

That report found that Hazelton was tied with U.S. Penitentiary (USP) Terra Haute with the second-highest number of deaths that were not from natural causes in the federal prison between financial years 2014 and 2021. USP Atlanta had more deaths at 17 but also had about 500 inmates more than Hazelton or Terra Haute.

Hazelton’s staffing shortage was also highlighted in the report .

“I’m pleased the Senate passed our bipartisan Federal Prison Oversight Act , which will overhaul federal prison oversight and improve safety for staff and inmates,” Sen. Manchin said in a press release. “This commonsense legislation is especially important after the serious reports of abuses, staff shortages, and dangerous conditions at federal prisons in West Virginia and across the country. I fought hard to secure a much-needed pay raise for staff at Federal Correctional Complex Hazelton, and this legislation furthers my goal of improving safety and accountability for all federal prison facilities. I look forward to President Biden swiftly signing our legislation into law.”

Hazelton recently announced that it has been granted Direct-Hire Authority in an attempt to fill its open positions.

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