The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

House bill would shine a light on federal prisons’ dark problems

Perspective by
Columnist
April 19, 2024 at 6:00 a.m. EDT
The seal of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the entrance of the Federal Correctional Institution in Miami. (Marco Bello/Reuters)
5 min

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has long been an agency in crisis, with poorly managed facilities that are unsafe for inmates and employees alike.

In March, The Washington Post reported on three critical federal watchdog reports released that month alone and the BOP’s inclusion last year on the Government Accountability Office’s biennial “High-Risk List” because it has such serious, ongoing problems.