Women's Prisons: Who's Watching the Guards?

State announces reforms to combat abuse in women's prisons, Seattle P-I, Dec. 20, 2007.

With rising complaints by female prison inmates of sex abuse by guards, the state Department of Corrections said it will hire more women staff members, increase the number of surveillance cameras in prisons and have the State Patrol investigate complaints.

The state has received scores of complaints about sex abuse in recent months, and a class-action lawsuit has been filed against the state by four current or former inmates.

The state has three prisons for women: the Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women (near Spokane), the Washington Corrections Center for Women at Purdy (north of Gig Harbor), and the Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women (near Bremerton).

A class-action against the state, brought by four current and former inmates, is pending in Thurston County Superior Court. The plaintiffs are represented by Beth Colgan, of Columbia Legal Services.

See also State acts on abuse cases at women's prison, Seattle Times, Dec. 20, 2007.
Washington Corrections Center for Women