I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5975 
To require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to address deficiencies 
and make necessary upgrades to the security camera and radio systems 
of the Bureau of Prisons to ensure the health and safety of employees 
and inmates. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 15, 2021 
Mr. KELLER (for himself, Mrs. MCBATH, and Mr. TRONE) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to address 
deficiencies and make necessary upgrades to the security 
camera and radio systems of the Bureau of Prisons 
to ensure the health and safety of employees and in-
mates. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Prison Camera Reform 
Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The Bureau of Prisons has 122 institutions 
located throughout the United States. The Bureau 
of Prisons employs nearly 38,000 employees and is 
responsible for more than 150,000 Federal inmates. 
(2) Video footage from security camera systems 
and reliable communication over radio systems with-
in Bureau of Prisons institutions are essential to 
protecting the health and safety of Bureau of Pris-
ons employees and Federal inmates. 
(3) Based on the experience of Bureau of Pris-
ons correctional staff, the noticeable presence of 
functioning security cameras serves as an effective 
deterrent to criminal behavior and misconduct. 
(4) Well-documented deficiencies of camera sys-
tems at Bureau of Prisons’ facilities have hindered 
investigators’ ability to substantiate allegations of 
serious misconduct by staff and inmates, including 
sexual and physical assaults, medical neglect, and in-
troduction of contraband. 
(5) In a 2016 report, the Office of the Inspec-
tor General for the Department of Justice deter-
mined that ‘‘deficiencies within the BOP’s security 
camera system have affected the OIG’s ability to se-
cure prosecutions of staff and inmates in BOP con-
traband introduction cases, and these same problems 
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adversely impact the availability of critical evidence 
to support administrative or disciplinary action 
against staff and inmates’’. 
(6) Shortcomings in the land-mobile radio sys-
tems at Bureau of Prison facilities institutions im-
pede the communication abilities of staff, slowing or 
preventing the response of correctional officers dur-
ing an emergency or threat of attack, and jeopard-
izing the safety of both staff and Federal inmates. 
SEC. 3. REQUIRED PLAN FOR REFORM OF BOP SECURITY 
CAMERA AND RADIO COVERAGE AND CAPA-
BILITIES. 
(a) PLAN.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Bureau of Pris-
ons shall— 
(1) evaluate the security camera, land-mobile 
radio (referred to in this Act as ‘‘LMR’’), and public 
address (referred to in this Act as ‘‘PA’’) systems in 
use by the Bureau of Prisons as of the date of en-
actment of this Act; and 
(2) submit to the Committee on the Judiciary 
of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary 
of the House of Representatives a plan for ensuring 
that all Bureau of Prisons correctional facilities have 
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the security camera, LMR, and PA system coverage 
and capabilities necessary to— 
(A) ensure the health and safety of staff 
and Federal inmates; and 
(B) ensure the documentation and accessi-
bility of video evidence that may pertain to mis-
conduct by staff or inmates, negligent or abu-
sive treatment of inmates, or criminal activity 
within correctional facilities. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The plan required under subsection 
(a) shall— 
(1) identify and include plans to address any 
deficiencies in the security camera system in use at 
Bureau of Prisons correctional facilities, including 
those related to— 
(A) an insufficient number of cameras; 
(B) inoperable or malfunctioning cameras; 
(C) blind spots; 
(D) poor quality video; and 
(E) any other deficits in the security cam-
era system; 
(2) identify and include plans to adopt and 
maintain any security camera system upgrades need-
ed to achieve the purposes described in subsection 
(a), including— 
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(A) conversion of all analog cameras to 
digital surveillance systems, with corresponding 
infrastructure and equipment upgrade require-
ments; 
(B) upgrades to ensure the secure storage, 
logging, preservation, and accessibility of re-
cordings such that the recordings are available 
to investigators or Courts at such time as may 
be reasonably required; and 
(C) additional enterprise-wide camera sys-
tem capabilities needed to enhance the safety 
and security of inmates and staff; 
(3) identify and include plans to address any 
deficiencies in the LMR and PA systems in use at 
Bureau of Prisons correctional facilities, including 
those related to— 
(A) an inadequate number of radios; 
(B) inoperable, outdated, or malfunc-
tioning LMR or PA systems; 
(C) areas of Bureau of Prisons correctional 
facilities that lack adequate reception for radio 
operation; 
(D) radios that lack an emergency notifica-
tion feature (also known as a ‘‘man down’’ 
function), which automatically sends an alert 
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and transmits the location of that radio in the 
event the wearer is in a prone position; and 
(E) any other deficits in the LMR or PA 
systems; 
(4) include an assessment of operational and 
logistical considerations in implementing the plan re-
quired under subsection (a), including— 
(A) a prioritization of facilities for needed 
upgrades, beginning with high security institu-
tions; 
(B) the personnel and training necessary 
to implement the changes; and 
(C) ongoing repair and maintenance re-
quirements; and 
(5) include a 3-year strategic plan and cost pro-
jection for implementing the changes and upgrades 
to the security camera, LMR, and PA systems iden-
tified under paragraphs (1) through (4). 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION DEADLINE.—Not later than 3 
years after the date on which the plan is submitted under 
subsection (a)(2), and subject to appropriations, the Di-
rector of the Bureau of Prisons shall complete implemen-
tation of the submitted plan. 
(d) ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORTS.—Beginning 1 
year after the date on which the plan is submitted under 
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