Prison Camera Reform Act of 2021
Bill: S.2899 | Sponsor: Sen. Ossoff, Jon (D-GA)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Prison Camera Reform Act of 2021
This act establishes various requirements to ensure that the security camera, radio, and public address systems used by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) have the capabilities necessary to (1) ensure the health and safety of staff and inmates; and (2) ensure the documentation and accessibility of video evidence pertaining to misconduct, maltreatment, or criminal activity within correctional facilities.
Among the requirements, the BOP must evaluate the systems currently in use at its facilities and implement a plan that addresses deficiencies in and makes upgrades to the systems.

[117th Congress Public Law 321]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 4429]]

                    PRISON CAMERA REFORM ACT OF 2021

[[Page 136 STAT. 4430]]

Public Law 117-321
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
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. <<NOTE: Dec. 27, 2022 -  [S. 2899]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Prison Camera 
Reform Act of 2021. 18 USC 4042 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Prison Camera Reform Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (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 within Bureau of Prisons 
        institutions are essential to protecting the health and safety 
        of Bureau of Prisons employees and Federal inmates.
            (3) Based on the experience of Bureau of Prisons 
        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 systems 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 introduction of contraband.
            (5) In a 2016 report, the Office of the Inspector General 
        for the Department of Justice determined that ``deficiencies 
        within the BOP's security camera system have affected the OIG's 
        ability to secure prosecutions of staff and inmates in BOP 
        contraband introduction cases, and these same problems adversely 
        impact the availability of critical evidence to support 
        administrative or disciplinary action against staff and 
        inmates''.
            (6) Shortcomings in the land-mobile radio systems at Bureau 
        of Prison facilities institutions impede the communication 
        abilities of staff, slowing or preventing the response of 
        correctional officers during an emergency or threat of attack, 
        and jeopardizing the safety of both staff and Federal inmates.

[[Page 136 STAT. 4431]]

SEC. 3. REQUIRED PLAN FOR REFORM OF BOP SECURITY CAMERA AND RADIO 
                    COVERAGE AND CAPABILITIES.

    (a) <<NOTE: Deadline.>>  Plan.--Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons 
shall--
            (1) <<NOTE: Evaluation.>>  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 enactment 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 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 accessibility of 
                video evidence that may pertain to misconduct by staff 
                or inmates, negligent or abusive 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 camera 
                system;
            (2) identify and include plans to adopt and maintain any 
        security camera system upgrades needed to achieve the purposes 
        described in subsection (a), including--
                    (A) conversion of all analog cameras to digital 
                surveillance systems, with corresponding infrastructure 
                and equipment upgrade requirements;
                    (B) upgrades to ensure the secure storage, logging, 
                preservation, and accessibility of recordings such that 
                the recordings are available to investigators or Courts 
                at such time as may be reasonably required; and
                    (C) additional enterprise-wide camera system 
                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 malfunctioning 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 notification 
                feature (also known as a ``man down'' function), which 
                automatically sends an alert 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) <<NOTE: Assessment.>>  include an assessment of 
        operational and logistical considerations in implementing the 
        plan required under subsection (a), including--

[[Page 136 STAT. 4432]]

                    (A) a prioritization of facilities for needed 
                upgrades, beginning with high security institutions;
                    (B) the personnel and training necessary to 
                implement the changes; and
                    (C) ongoing repair and maintenance requirements; and
            (5) include a 3-year strategic plan and cost projection for 
        implementing the changes and upgrades to the security camera, 
        LMR, and PA systems identified 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 Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall complete 
implementation of the submitted plan.
    (d) Annual Progress Reports.--Beginning 1 year after the date on 
which the plan is submitted under subsection (a)(2), and each year 
thereafter until the end of the 3-year period described in subsection 
(c), the Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall submit to the Committee 
on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
House of Representatives a report on the progress of the implementation 
of the submitted plan.

    Approved December 27, 2022.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 2899:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 167 (2021):
                                    Oct. 20, considered and passed 
                                        Senate.
                                                        Vol. 168 (2022):
                                    Dec. 14, considered and passed 
                                        House.

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