Feds, New Jersey reach agreement on Edna Mahan prison
(The Center Square) – The federal government and New Jersey have reached a proposed agreement to resolve inmate abuse claims at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Union Township.
The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Jersey filed a federal complaint and a proposed consent decree that includes federal monitoring of the facility. A federal court must approve the agreement.
“The goal of this agreement is to ensure that this horrific conduct never happens again,” The Washington Times quoted a DOJ spokesperson as telling reporters on Tuesday.
The proposed consent decree also includes inmate education on sexual assault and harassment, confidential reporting of sexual abuse allegations and protections against retaliation for reporting wrongdoing. It also appoints an independent monitor to assess the state’s compliance with the proposed agreement.
“Our agreement addresses the systemic issues that have plagued the Edna Mahan facility, ensures that women incarcerated there will receive the basic protections they are entitled to under the Constitution, and requires accountability through public transparency,” Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement.
In June, Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, announced a plan to close the facility, saying it has “a long history of abusive incidents.” The proposed consent decree would apply to any facility that replaces Edna Mahan.
The day after Murphy’s announcement, New Jersey Department of Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks resigned.
In April 2020, the United States Department of Justice said it believed the New Jersey Department of Corrections “fails to keep prisoners at Edna Mahan safe from sexual abuse by staff.” The state previously reached a $20.8 million taxpayer-funded settlement of lawsuits involving current and former inmates at Edna Mahan.
“The agreement marks a significant step in our journey to transform the culture of Edna Mahan with a tangible plan and federal monitoring that ensures women in the state’s care are treated with dignity and respect,” Victoria Kuhn, New Jersey’s acting corrections commissioner, said in a news release. “We look at this measure as an opportunity to close the book on the sordid history of the facility and pen a new way forward, driven by integrity, safety, and support services to help those in our care flourish.”
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