U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland approved a legal settlement that mandates independent monitoring and increased transparency in response to staff-on-inmate sexual abuse at the closed Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Dublin, California.
The big picture: The settlement involves monitoring the treatment of around 500 former inmates from FCI Dublin who are now dispersed across various federal prisons in the U.S.
- It includes provisions for early release, home confinement, and a public acknowledgment of the victims of staff sexual abuse at FCI Dublin by the Bureau of Prisons.
- The consent decree aims to offer oversight and protection to the victims, as some have reported experiencing similar abuse at other federal institutions.
- The settlement, rejected by the Trump administration, also ensures gender-affirming clothing, accommodations, and early release irrespective of immigration status or detainer for covered inmates.
Go deeper: The agreement, in place for a minimum of two years starting March 31, will not be renegotiated by the Bureau of Prisons, despite their request to alter the terms regarding transgender and non-citizen inmates.
- The measure aims to eradicate abuse and cover-ups that persisted at FCI Dublin, known as the “rape club,” with multiple employees facing charges related to the sexual abuse of inmates.
- An Associated Press investigation revealed a history of misconduct at FCI Dublin, leading to a class-action lawsuit settlement in December that saw the government agreeing to pay nearly $116 million to over 100 women who reported abuse.
What we’re watching: The proposed agreement includes ongoing access to court-appointed monitors, confidential reporting channels for abuse, and monthly public reports on key findings related to staff abuse, medical care, and compliance with early release rules.
- The Bureau of Prisons will also expunge invalid disciplinary reports, release eligible plaintiffs to halfway houses and home confinement, and restore early release credits lost during transfers from FCI Dublin as part of the settlement terms.
