Judge appoints special master to oversee California federal women’s prison after rampant abuse

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A judge on Friday appointed a special master to oversee a troubled federal women’s prison in California known for rampant sexual abuse against inmates, marking the first time the federal Bureau of Prisons has been subject to such oversight.

The judge’s scathing order encompasses the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, located about 21 miles (34 kilometers) east of Oakland.

A 2021 Associated Press investigation that found a culture of abuse and cover-ups at the prison brought increased scrutiny from Congress and the federal Bureau of Prisons.

The order is part of a federal lawsuit filed in August by eight inmates and the advocacy group California Coalition for Women Prisoners. They allege that sexual abuse and exploitation has not stopped despite the prosecution of the former warden and several former officers.

The Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on the special master appointment.

Since 2021, at least eight FCI Dublin employees have been charged with sexually abusing inmates. Five have pleaded guilty. Two were convicted at trial. Another case is pending.

All sexual activity between a prison worker and an inmate is illegal. Correctional employees enjoy substantial power over inmates, controlling every aspect of their lives from mealtime to lights out, and there is no scenario in which an inmate can give consent.

Friday’s special master appointment follows days after the FBI searched the prison as part of an ongoing, years-long investigation into allegations of rampant sexual abuse of inmates. The current warden has also been ousted after new allegations that his staff retaliated against an inmate who testified against the prison, according to government court papers filed Monday.

FCI Dublin’s sexual abuse scandal has been one of many troubles plaguing the federal Bureau of Prisons, which is also beset by rampant staffing shortages, suicides and security breaches.