Department of Justice Seal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CR

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1999
(202)
616-2777

WWW.USDOJ.GOV

TDD (202) 514-1888


PRISONS AND JAILS IN THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS TO IMPROVE
CONDITIONS, UNDER JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AGREEMENT


WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Prisoners housed in correctional and detention facilities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) will not be held in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, under an agreement reached today with the Justice Department.

Today's agreement, filed in U.S. District Court in Saipan, resolves allegations that all six correctional and detention facilities in the CNMI failed to meet minimum constitutional standards. The facilities covered under the agreement include: the prison on Saipan; the jails on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota; the Juvenile Confinement Facility on Saipan; and the Immigration Detention Facility on Saipan.

The Justice Department began investigating the facilities in the CNMI in April 1998. During the investigation, initiated under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the Justice Department inspected all six CNMI facilities. During its investigation, the Justice Department reviewed facility records, including policies and procedures, booking records, incident reports, and medical records, and it interviewed administrators, staff, contract food-service providers, mental health providers, inmates, and juveniles. Authorities in the CNMI fully cooperated with the investigation.

Today's agreement, which must be approved by the court, requires the CNMI to develop short and long term plans for complying with the agreement and running the facilities. The CNMI also will develop and implement new policies and procedures, create a classification system to segregate dangerous and special needs inmates, and ensure that employees are properly trained in corrections practices and staffed to secure the facility and respond to emergencies.

Under the terms of the agreement, the CNMI will also:

• install adequate fire and smoke detection systems, provide a system for rapid evacuation of a burning or smoke-filled facility, remove combustible and noxious materials, correct electrical hazards, and provide fire-safety training;

• provide working toilets and sinks to inmates, adequate artificial lighting, and clean and appropriate living spaces and bedding;

• ensure that all food at the facilities is prepared and served in a safe and sanitary manner, and ensure that inmates who are prescribed medical diets receive them;

• provide medical screening of inmates, clean air in the facilities, and appropriate communicable disease training; and,

• provide adequate supervision of inmates, impose strict controls on dangerous implements, provide secure perimeter fencing, and identify and monitor suicidal inmates.

The CNMI may move to terminate the decree after two years. During that time, the United States will have access to all documents and facilities as necessary to evaluate whether the CNMI is complying with the agreement.

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