On August 5, 1998, Attorney General Janet Reno asked the Corrections Trustee for the District of Columbia to conduct an independent, in-depth review of the security procedures, management practices and work opportunities of the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center. This facility is under contract to the District of Columbia Department of Corrections to house sentenced DC offenders.

The independent review was sought in response to requests for federal action from Ohio Governor George V. Voinovich and members of Congress after a number of problems at the institution were reported. The Trustee asked to conduct the review is by statute an independent officer of the District of Columbia.

The Attorney General asked the Trustee to prepare a comprehensive report, which addressed a number of concerns and to make recommendations for corrective actions. The purpose of the review was to address the operational procedures, policies and practices and to help restore public confidence in the facility's ability to accomplish its mission effectively.

The Trustee has just completed the report, which includes 19 major findings and 24 major recommendations for both the DC Department of Corrections and the Corrections Corporation of America, the owner-operators of the facility. The Justice Department will offer advisory assistance to the District of Columbia as the District works on this matter. A copy of the report is available on the Justice Department web site:

www.usdoj.gov /05publications/05_3.html

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