In a landmark legal settlement, the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has agreed to significant oversight measures and a formal acknowledgment of systemic staff-on-inmate sexual abuse at the now-closed Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Dublin, California.
The proposed settlement, filed Friday, mandates a court-appointed monitor, victim protections, and increased transparency following a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of inmates who endured abuse.
Settlement Includes Public Acknowledgment and Key Victim Protections
As part of the agreement, BOP Director Colette Peters will issue a public acknowledgment to the victims of staff abuse at FCI Dublin. The settlement outlines measures including pathways for early release, protections against retaliation, and access to community-based support for the nearly 500 inmates relocated after FCI Dublin’s closure in April.
“This is a historic victory, but our work is just beginning,” said Emily Shapiro of the Dublin Prison Solidarity Coalition. “We will fight to ensure the agreement is fully implemented and demand broader changes across the prison system.”
Monitor to Oversee Compliance Nationwide
The agreement appoints a court monitor, likely Wendy Still, to oversee BOP compliance for at least two years. The monitor will have unrestricted access to inmates, staff, and records, issuing monthly public reports on abuse, medical care, retaliation, and early release compliance.
Advocates hope this oversight will benefit thousands of incarcerated women beyond FCI Dublin, many of whom report similar abuse at other facilities.
Decades of Abuse Exposed at FCI Dublin
The agreement follows widespread allegations of abuse at FCI Dublin, nicknamed the “rape club” by staff and inmates. An Associated Press investigation revealed a culture of harassment, cover-ups, and retribution that persisted for years.
Since 2021, eight FCI Dublin employees, including former warden Ray Garcia, have been charged with sexual abuse. Five pleaded guilty, two were convicted, and one case is ongoing.
The abuse prompted the class-action lawsuit, which sought not just compensation but also systemic reforms to protect female inmates.
Protections Against Retaliation and Invalid Reports
The settlement includes measures to protect plaintiffs from retaliation, such as banning solitary confinement for low-level disciplinary actions and expunging invalid disciplinary reports used to punish or silence victims.
The agreement also requires the BOP to restore lost early release credits and provide eligible plaintiffs with immediate access to halfway houses or home confinement, regardless of immigration status.
Permanent Closure of FCI Dublin
FCI Dublin was permanently closed Thursday, a move the BOP claims was unrelated to the settlement. Critics argue the closure underscores systemic issues within the agency, which initially sought to dismiss the lawsuit by claiming the prison’s temporary closure rendered the case moot.
The settlement’s approval now hinges on the decision of Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, marking a critical step in addressing decades of abuse and neglect within the federal prison system.
