The U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into Washington, D.C., jails to determine whether conditions there systematically violate the constitutional rights of people in custody.
In an Oct. 19 letter to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, the department said it would examine the treatment of people held by the District of Columbia Department of Corrections (DOC) since Jan. 1, 2021. Investigators will look into allegations involving excessive force, medical care, safety, sanitation and food. The department said it has reached no conclusions.
The inquiry comes after a May 28, 2025, report from the Office of the D.C. Auditor raised concerns about building maintenance, staffing, deaths in custody and food service at two facilities. The auditor described an aging jail and said conditions put both residents and staff at risk. The report followed a 2019 audit.
A March 4, 2026, visit by the District of Columbia Corrections Information Council added a more recent account of conditions. Residents told inspectors they had seen mice and roaches, while council staff reported seeing flying insects inside several cells. In another unit, residents reported missed medical appointments and delays in getting medication refills. The council said those residents were taken to the infirmary and their concerns were addressed during the visit.
In comments published with the audit, DOC contested many conclusions and questioned how the review was conducted. It acknowledged that the Central Detention Facility’s design limits the programs and services it can provide. Corrections Director Tom Faust told the D.C. Council in February 2026 that an October 2025 accreditation review found the jail complex met every mandatory standard examined. He said the department’s average jail population was 1,978 in fiscal 2025.
The Justice Department is conducting its investigation under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act. It said it would close the inquiry if it finds no constitutional violations. If investigators find a pattern of violations, the department said it will inform Bowser of its findings and try to work with DOC to remedy them. It gave no date for a decision.
