Justice Department Opens Federal Investigation Into Whether Conditions at D.C. Corrections Facilities Violate the Constitution
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department on October 19 notified District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser of the initiation of a federal investigation into the correctional facilities of the D.C. Department of Corrections (D.C. DOC). The department will investigate whether D.C. DOC engages in a pattern or practice of violating prisoners' and detainees' constitutional rights.
"The Constitution protects the rights of every incarcerated American, including those held in custody in our nation's capital," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "We are committed to upholding our federal civil rights laws so that no inmate is confined in unconstitutional conditions or subject to unconstitutional mistreatment at the District of Columbia Department of Corrections."
The department said it has received numerous allegations regarding conditions in D.C. DOC facilities, including a report from the District of Columbia's own Auditor. The allegations include failing to protect prisoners from the use of excessive force, failing to provide adequate medical care, failing to provide safe and sanitary physical conditions of confinement, and failing to provide adequate nutrition. The investigation will be conducted under the department's authority to enforce the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). The department emphasized that it has not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter.
Conditions at D.C. correctional facilities have faced scrutiny for years. A 2025 report from the Office of the D.C. Auditor cited reports of food contaminated with bugs, rodents and screws, as well as potentially contaminated water, and inmates have recently sued the department over food sanitation and living conditions, alleging systemic failures.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 华盛顿特区监狱设施外景（资料照片）。Duane Lempke 摄，CC0，经 Wikimedia Commons 发布。
