Judge appoints special master to oversee California federal women’s prison after rampant abuse

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A judge has appointed a special master to oversee a federal women’s prison in California known for rampant sexual abuse against inmates. The Friday order encompasses the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin. The is prison is about 21 miles east of Oakland. It marks the first time a facility run by the federal Bureau of Prisons has been subject to such oversight. The order came as part of a federal lawsuit filed by eight inmates and the advocacy group California Coalition for Women Prisoners. A 2021 Associated Press investigation that found a culture of abuse and cover-ups at the prison brought increased scrutiny from Congress and the federal Bureau of Prisons.