The Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) has released a report detailing the findings from unannounced inspections of food service operations at six Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) institutions. These inspections, conducted between June 4 and June 6, 2024, covered facilities in each BOP region: USP McCreary in Kentucky, FCI Marianna in Florida, FCC Pollock in Louisiana, MCC Chicago in Illinois, FCC Allenwood in Pennsylvania, and FCI Mendota in California.
Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz noted that while food services at FCC Allenwood and MCC Chicago were generally well managed and clean, several issues were identified at USP McCreary, FCI Marianna, FCC Pollock, and FCI Mendota. The report highlighted longstanding problems across BOP facilities.
Key findings included lax enforcement of contraband mitigation procedures. At USP McCreary, an unattended knife was found in a food preparation area. Additionally, FCI Mendota and FCI Marianna lacked functional pallet x-ray machines for detecting contraband.
Security camera coverage was also lacking. Five out of the six inspected institutions did not have cameras in food service warehouses. This was particularly concerning at USP McCreary, FCI Marianna, and FCC Pollock where inmates work.
Staff shortages were reported to affect safety monitoring at these facilities. Infrastructure issues were evident with ongoing renovations due to broken water pipes at MCC Chicago costing approximately $700,000. At USP McCreary’s cafeteria, broken tiles allowed water seepage with a strong odor present.
Problems with kitchen temperatures due to air conditioning failures were noted at FCI Marianna and FCC Pollock. A staff member described conditions as "extremely hot" with inmates working under "brutal heat."
Equipment malfunctions such as non-compliant freezer temperatures were observed at multiple locations increasing risks of foodborne illnesses. Sanitation concerns included dirty kitchens and lack of soap for inmate use at USP McCreary.
The DOJ OIG confirmed that many issues had been addressed by BOP officials before the report's release but expressed concern about potential widespread equipment malfunctions across other facilities. An audit initiated by the OIG in August 2024 aims to further examine BOP’s management of major equipment supporting food services.
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