Norton Again Asks Federal Bureau of Prisons to Finalize Plans for D.C. Returning Citizens Before Hope Village Contract Expires in Two Weeks

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today sent a second letter to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Michael Carvajal, urgently asking him to finalize plans for the residents of the BOP-contracted men's halfway house in the District of Columbia, Hope Village, before its contract expires on April 30, 2020.

Norton wrote: "Please bear in mind that these inmates are eligible for reentry under our laws. Particularly considering the COVID-19 crisis, BOP must continue to release as many inmates to home confinement as possible, using appropriate safety measures. BOP must also select an operator for a new halfway house in the District. In the meantime, for Home Village residents who cannot go onto home confinement after April 30, either because they would be homeless or are ineligible for home confinement, I urge you to place them in hotels or other locations in the District, other than the D.C. jail."

Today's letter follows:

April 16, 2020

Michael Carvajal

Director

Federal Bureau of Prisons

320 First Street NW

Washington, DC 20534

Dear Director Carvajal:

I write urgently to follow up on the letter I sent you on April 10, 2020, concerning the men's halfway house contract for Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmates from the District of Columbia. Considering that the contract with the current men's halfway house in the District, Hope Village, expires in two weeks, it is imperative that BOP finalize plans immediately for Hope Village residents as well as for the D.C. residents who will soon be eligible to leave prison and be placed in a halfway house.

I have learned that BOP is working to get as many Hope Village residents onto home confinement as possible. This is welcome news. However, I also understand that BOP is determining what to do with the small number of inmates who have no viable release plan. I understand that BOP is considering transferring those individuals to halfway houses in the surrounding area or perhaps back to prison. Those options are totally unacceptable. Either would defeat the purpose of halfway house placement – to allow transition to the home community. Moreover, it appears that at least one of the closest halfway houses to the District, in Montgomery County (which is still prohibitively far away), is not accepting federal inmates. Regardless, as stated, this location would defeat the purpose of halfway house placement.

Please bear in mind that these inmates are eligible for reentry under our laws. Particularly considering the COVID-19 crisis, BOP must continue to release as many inmates to home confinement as possible, using appropriate safety measures. BOP must also select an operator for a new halfway house in the District. In the meantime, for Home Village residents who cannot go onto home confinement after April 30, either because they would be homeless or are ineligible for home confinement, I urge you to place them in hotels or other locations in the District, other than the D.C. jail. This also applies to D.C. residents who will soon be eligible to leave prison and be placed in a halfway house.

Since I have not yet received a response to my April 10, 2020, letter, and especially given the urgency of this matter, I ask that you respond in writing immediately.

Sincerely,

Eleanor Holmes Norton