DOJ on AL Prison Lawsuit, 2025 Federal CJ Agenda & More

“This report is about what’s not just possible, but popular and effective. Congress has taken bold steps to improve the cost and efficacy of our criminal justice system in the past, but the work is far from done."
 
A new report, released Wednesday by the Justice Action Network, highlights dozens of public safety policies that are broadly supported by Americans on both sides of the aisle. The guide includes data-driven solutions to some of the issues voters care about most in the criminal justice system, including preventing and solving crime, evidence-based sentencing reforms, and options for increasing prison oversight and effectiveness, reducing barriers to reentry, and reducing collateral consequences of incarceration.

“After all the headlines, scandals, and controversy that have plagued the Bureau of Prisons for decades, we’re very happy to see this Congress take action to bring transparency and accountability to an agency that has gone so long without it.”
 
The Senate passed the Federal Prison Oversight Act Wednesday evening, voting unanimously to establish an independent ombudsman and mandating rigorous inspections to combat systemic corruption and abuse in federal facilities. We advocated for the bill, which now goes to the President. Should he sign it, the new law would ensure the safety and rights of over 158,000 incarcerated people and 30,000 employees who spend their days inside crisis-plagued prisons across the country.

“We must not allow violence and sexual abuse to run rampant in our prisons and jails. We are committed to securing the constitutional rights of all people, including those who are incarcerated.”
 
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a statement of interest in a 2014 lawsuit by St. Clair Correctional Facility inmates in Alabama, highlighting allegations of rampant violence, excessive force, and sexual assault that could constitute Eighth Amendment violations. The DOJ's intervention underscores grave constitutional concerns and the state's failure to protect prisoners from harm. St. Clair houses around 1,000 inmates. 
 
“We can and must do better to reduce the flow of women into the justice system, help them maintain relationships with children and families during incarceration, and provide the support they need to thrive after release.” 
 
Former US Attorney General Loretta Lynch will chair the Council on Criminal Justice's Women’s Justice Commission, focusing on rising incarceration rates and the unique challenges faced by women in the criminal justice system. With women making up over a quarter of adult arrests and many being primary caretakers, the commission aims to reduce their numbers in the system and provide essential support during and after incarceration. 
 
“Dealing with the heat in Louisiana has become a matter of life and death.”
 
A federal judge condemned the grueling and hazardous conditions in Louisiana's Angola prison "Farm Line," where incarcerated individuals labor in extreme heat with inadequate water, rest, and protective gear. The judge ordered corrections officials to update heat-related safety policies to mitigate substantial risk of injury or death but denied a request to halt work when the heat index exceeds 88 degrees. The ruling comes a week after we highlighted California's decision to exempt corrections facilities from new indoor heat protections.