WASHINGTON — The Justice Department began a civil rights investigation of D.C. jails Monday after receiving allegations of excessive force, poor medical care and unsafe conditions.
In its announcement, the department said the complaints also concerned sanitation and inadequate nutrition. It cited a report from the D.C. auditor.
No findings have been made. The inquiry will cover conditions for all D.C. jail inmates since Jan. 1, 2021, according to a notification letter sent to Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon wrote that investigators would also consider what the District has done to meet its constitutional obligations.
The department is using its authority under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act to examine whether conditions amount to a pattern of constitutional violations.
What happens next depends on the findings. If investigators identify systemic violations, the department will explain them and seek to work with the corrections department on remedies, Dhillon wrote. If they find none, the inquiry will close.
Attorneys from the Civil Rights Division will contact Bowser’s office about the next steps.
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