2023.06.27 OIG Statement.pdf

 
 
 
DE P AR T MEN T  O F J US TI C E |  O FFIC E  O F T HE  INSP EC TO R GE NER AL 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“A Message from the Inspector General:  Investigation and Review on the BOP’s Custody, Care, and 
Supervision of Jeffrey Epstein at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York, New York,” June 
2023   
  
Hello, I’m Michael Horowitz, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Justice.   
  
Today my office released a report on the Federal Bureau of Prisons, or BOP’s, custody, care, and supervision 
of inmate Jeffrey Epstein at the MCC New York. On August 10, 2019, Epstein was found hanged in his locked 
cell within the prison’s secure Special Housing Unit.  The New York City’s Office of the Chief Medical 
Examiner determined that Epstein died by suicide. 
 
Today’s report follows numerous other OIG reports, unrelated to Epstein, that have repeatedly identified 
long-standing operational challenges at the BOP that negatively affect its ability to operate institutions safely 
and securely.  Today’s report identified many of these same operational challenges, including significant job 
performance and management failures on the part of BOP personnel; widespread disregard of BOP policies; 
and deficiencies with the BOP’s staffing levels; security camera systems; and custody and care of inmates at 
risk for suicide.    
 
For example, we determined that MCC New York staff failed to ensure Epstein was assigned a cellmate as 
instructed by MCC New York’s Psychology Department following an incident on July 23rd where Epstein was 
found unresponsive in his cell with a cloth wrapped around his neck.  In addition, we concluded that MCC 
New York staff failed to undertake required measures designed to ensure Epstein and other inmates were 
accounted for and safe in their cells, such as inmate counts and rounds, and searches of cells.  Had Epstein's 
cell been searched as required, it would have revealed that Epstein had excess prison blankets, linens, and 
clothing in his ce...

 
 
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To read our report and our 8 recommendations, please visit our website oig.justice.gov, or go to 
oversight.gov.   
  
Thank you for joining me today.   
  
(Stock media provided by composer William Pearson and publisher Prolific Two Publishing/Pond5.com, 
www.pond5.com.)