Department of Justice Seal Department of Justice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2002
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
CRT
(202) 616-2777
TDD (202) 514-1888

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REACHES AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF WYOMING CONCERNING THE WYOMING STATE PENITENTIARY


WASHINGTON, D.C. - - Under an agreement reached today between the Justice Department and the Wyoming Department of Corrections, the state will begin improving conditions of confinement for inmates incarcerated at the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins, Wyoming.

The agreement addresses the Justice Department's June 1999 findings arising from an investigation initiated in October 1998 pursuant to the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act ("CRIPA"). In response to the Justice Department findings and consultant reports, the State of Wyoming voluntarily initiated a number of efforts to remedy deficiencies at the prison, including beginning construction of a new correctional facility in Rawlins and considering closing the original facility.

"This agreement reflects the collaborative efforts of the State of Wyoming and the Justice Department to address difficult conditions and issues of confinement at the Wyoming State Penitentiary," said Ralph F. Boyd, Jr., Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "We are pleased with the commitments Wyoming authorities have made to improve medical and mental health care at the penitentiary and their commitments to assure incarcerated persons reasonable protection from harm."

The agreement addresses several critical areas in which inmates were at risk of serious harm from identified deficiencies in medical care, mental health care, protection from harm, environmental health and safety and fire safety.

Under the agreement:

The agreement and the lawsuit complaint and Joint Motion for Dismissal were filed in U.S. District Court in the District of Wyoming, along with a request that the matter be placed on the Court's inactive docket.

Based on periodic reporting to, and compliance visits by the Justice Department and its consultants, the agreement authorizes the United States to reactivate its CRIPA lawsuit if the state does not achieve substantial compliance with the terms of the agreement.

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