Crime

Justice Dept. to probe Alabama’s men’s prisons

By Kelly Cohen
Published October 6, 2016 7:28pm ET
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Justice Dept. to probe Alabama’s men’s prisons
Alabama's prison system has been under scrutiny for years. As of July, the DOJ reported they were at 178 percent capacity — the highest rate in the nation — which has led to an increase of violence within prisons. (AP Photo/Dave Martin) | Dave Martin

The Justice Department announced on Thursday it would open a “statewide investigation” into the safety and sanitary conditions in Alabama’s prisons for men.

The announcement comes less than a year after Gov. Robert Bentley announced the Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women would begin closing in 2016 as part of a “complete transformation of the prison system.” Alabama had to settle a lawsuit with the DOJ over a report finding ongoing sexual abuse of inmates by guards at the prison.

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Tag:

Alabama Kelly Cohen Minusextra Police and Law Enforcement