BECKLEY, W.Va. (WVVA) - A state internal investigation into conditions at Southern Regional Jail determined allegations of mistreatment by inmates, their family members and current and former employees were not true.
Governor Jim Justice released the findings of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) probe on Thursday, which he ordered in late March. The agency oversees the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DHR).
“The review found the allegations of water deprivation, failure to provide toilet paper, and inmates having to sleep on hard floors without a mattress to be false,” the report stated.
The investigation involved 50 interviews and a review of telephone calls from inmates and the jail’s financial records, according to the DHS.
A current and former guard at SRJ corroborated concerns voiced by inmates and their families. The report stated a former employee who talked to the media, “was filled with so much bitterness, that he/she during their interview would not even admit that inmates got beverages with their breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
The report continued, “The former employee stated that because of COVID he/she did not have the opportunity to attend the training academy. After he/she left Southern Regional Jail, he/she has worked at two other jobs that were not as fulfilling as his/her position at Southern Regional Jail. He/she stated now he/she realized how much he/she enjoyed working at Southern Regional Jail and helping inmates.”
The DHS also...
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