DOJ to ‘at least temporarily’ close jail where Jeffrey Epstein died

The Department of Justice is planning on closing the jail where Jeffrey Epstein was found dead “at least temporarily” to improve conditions at the facility.

A Justice Department spokeswoman told The Hill in a statement on Friday that the Bureau of Prisons has “assessed steps necessary to improve conditions” at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, and in an effort to tackle the problems “as quickly and efficiently as possible,” the jail will be closed “at least temporarily, until those issues have been resolved.”

“The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that every facility in the federal prison system is not only safe and secure, but also provides people in custody with the resources and programs they need to make a successful return to society after they have served their time,” the spokesperson added.

There are currently 233 inmates at the facility, according to The New York Times, most of whom are being held while awaiting trial.

The correctional center has been the target of criticism by inmates, lawyers and judges for a while because of the conditions in which prisoners are detained, according to the Times.

The statement from the DOJ did not mention where the prisoners who are currently at the facility will reside. The newspaper noted, however, that it is possible the inmates will be transferred to other federal jails in the region, such as the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn or the federal prison in Otisville, N.Y.

The facility gained national attention in August 2019 when Epstein, who was awaiting trial for allegations of sex trafficking, was found dead in his cell.

Days later, New York City’s Medical Examiner ruled his death a suicide by hanging.

Two jail guards who worked at the facility were later accused of sleeping and surfing the internet when they were  supposed to be watching Epstein the night he died. As a result, they were charged with falsifying records in an effort to persuade prosecutors that they had checked in on Epstein.

A judge in May approved a deal for the guards to avoid jail time after they admitted to falsifying records, ordering them to six months of supervised release and 100 hours of community service.

In January, the facility received its fourth warden in less than two years after the more recent person serving in the position had retired.

The correctional center also faced difficulties amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with The Associated Press reporting in May 2020 that the spread in the facility was rapid and social distancing was nearly nonexistent.

Updated Aug. 27, 6:25 p.m.