CLINTON, N.J. - A federal report accuses officials at New Jersey’s only state women’s prison of having failed to take action to prevent rampant sexual abuse at the facility despite being aware of systemic problems.
The Department of Justice report released Monday alleges that the state corrections department and officials at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women violated inmates’ constitutional rights by failing to protect them.
Several corrections officers at the prison have pleaded guilty or been convicted of sexual abuse and misconduct in recent years.
The report called sexual abuse at the prison “severe and prevalent,” and said a “culture of acceptance” has persisted for many years.