Investigation and Review of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Custody, Care, and Supervision of Jeffrey Epstein at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York, New York

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Date Issued

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Submitting OIG

Department of Justice OIG

Other Participating OIGs

Department of Justice OIG

Agencies Reviewed/Investigated

Department of Justice

Components

Federal Bureau of Prisons

Report Number

23-085

Report Type

Investigation

Agency Wide

Yes

Number of Recommendations

Questioned Costs

Funds for Better Use

Open Recommendations

This report has 7 open recommendations.

Recommendation Number	Significant Recommendation	Recommended Questioned Costs	Recommended Funds for Better Use	Additional Details
1	No	$0	$0	Status as of March 31, 2025
1. The BOP should implement a process for assigning a cellmate following suicide watch or psychological observation, with criteria for exceptions based on the particular individual or security considerations.
2	No	$0	$0	Status as of March 31, 2025
2. The BOP should establish procedures to ensure inmates at high risk for suicide and for whom a cellmate is recommended will continue to have a cellmate until the recommendation is changed or rescinded, including establishing a contingency plan for cellmate re-assignment, with criteria for exceptions based on the particular individual or security considerations.
3	No	$0	$0	Status as of March 31, 2025
3. The BOP should evaluate its current process for obtaining and documenting approval for social or legal visits while an inmate is on suicide watch or psychological observation, which allows for institution-specific variations in the process, and provide guidance on standard components that each institution should include in its process to mitigate security issues that can arise when an inmate is on suicide watch or psychological observation.
4	No	$0	$0	Status as of March 31, 2025
4. The BOP should evaluate its methods of accounting for inmate whereabouts and wellbeing and make changes as may be appropriate to improve those methods through policy, training, or other measures.
5	No	$0	$0	Status as of March 31, 2025
5. BOP policy should clarify what is required of a Lieutenant when conducting a round.
6	No	$0	$0	Status as of March 31, 2025
6. The BOP should continue to develop and implement plans to address staffing shortages at its prisons.
8	No	$0	$0	Status as of March 31, 2025
8. The BOP should enhance existing policies regarding institutional security camera systems to ensure they specifically state that such systems must have the capacity to record video and that BOP institutions must conduct regular security camera system functionality checks.