WASHINGTON –– The U.S. Senate tonight unanimously passed a Grassley-backed, bipartisan bill to
improve safety and accountability in federal prisons. From the infamous Jeffrey Epstein case to countless documented
acts of violence and civil rights abuses in American prisons, prison reformers,
prison staff, and the Department of Justice Inspector General have for years
urged Congress to reform the broken camera systems in our nation’s prisons.
The Prison Camera Reform Act of 2021 was introduced last month with by Sens. John Ossoff (D-Ga.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)--ranking member of the Senate
Judiciary Committee, and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)--chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The legislation will require the Bureau of
Prisons to ensure all correctional facilities have the security camera coverage
necessary to protect the civil rights and safety of incarcerated people and
staff.
“It’s 2021 and the Bureau of Prisons needs a technology upgrade. Our bipartisan bill will do just that. Newer cameras and communications equipment will help ensure safety, security and accountability at Federal prisons for both corrections officers and inmates. I hope the House swiftly passes the bill now that it's been unanimously approved in the Senate, so these changes can be implemented quickly,” Sen. Grassley said.
“As divided as our country seems, the Senate’s passage of this
historic bipartisan prison reform measure proves Americans can still come
together to strengthen civil rights, public safety, and the rule of law,” Sen. Ossoff said.
“The health
and safety of BOP inmates and staff must remain a top priority as we continue
to push for criminal justice reform. Updating the communications systems and
security cameras in prisons is a step forward in maintaining safe BOP
facilities by deterring abuse and misconduct,” said Sen. Durbin. “I’m pleased to see the Prison Camera Reform Act of 2021 pass the Senate today to assist in
bringing our facilities into the 21st century while helping us achieve our goal
of creating safer conditions for those at correctional facilities.”
The bill requires that upgrades to the security camera system
ensure the secure storage, logging, preservation and accessibility of
recordings, so footage remains available for investigators pursuing allegations
of misconduct, abuse, or other criminal activity. The Bureau of Prisons has 122 institutions located throughout the
United States, employing nearly 38,000 employees and responsible for more than
120,000 Federal inmates.
Click
here for a
one-pager on The
Prison Camera
Reform Act of 2021.
Click here to read The
Prison Camera Reform Act of 2021.
-30-