WASHINGTON, D.C. – August 13, 2026 (STL.News) DOJ – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday that it has reasonable cause to believe California’s corrections system and two state women’s prisons are violating the U.S. Constitution by failing to adequately protect incarcerated women from sexual abuse and harassment by staff.
The findings involve the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or CDCR, the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino.
Federal investigators described a longstanding pattern of staff sexual misconduct accompanied by inadequate safeguards, problems with confidential reporting, deficient investigative practices and insufficient accountability. The Justice Department (DOJ) concluded that the systemic deficiencies violate prisoners’ rights under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments.
The department also found that CDCR and the two facilities have failed to adequately and effectively implement requirements of the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, commonly known as PREA.
The findings mark a significant escalation of a federal civil rights investigation that began nearly two years ago and could ultimately lead to litigation against California if state officials fail to implement sufficient reforms.
DOJ Investigation Finds Longstanding Pattern
The Justice Department’s (DOJ’s) 31-page findings report said investigators examined allegations of sexual misconduct dating back to 2000 and found what they described as an “unbroken pattern” of sexual misconduct by staff extending from 2000 through 2024 and continuing into the present.
Importantly, the federal findings are not based solely on allegations made by prisoners. DOJ said CDCR itself has repeatedly sustained allegations of staff sexual abuse at the two facilities, meaning the state’s own investigative process determined that misconduct occurred.
Despite being aware of the risks, federal investigators concluded that CDCR and prison officials failed to take adequate measures to deter and detect sexual misconduct and hold responsible employees accountable.
“Female prisoners have the constitutional right to be free from sexual assault and harassment by prison staff,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in announcing the findings.
Dhillon said the investigation found that CDCR knew about repeated incidents of sexual assault and harassment and failed to adequately protect incarcerated women.
Hundreds of Misconduct Allegations Reviewed
The scope of the allegations documented by investigators is substantial.
According to California’s own records cited in the federal findings report, prisoners made more than 375 allegations of staff sexual misconduct at the two women’s prisons between 2023 and June 2025.
Federal investigators reviewed more than 350 prisoner allegations involving sexual misconduct by staff. The report also said 320 private lawsuits have been filed, primarily by former prisoners, against CDCR and the two institutions.
The investigation included reviews of policies, procedures, staffing records, training materials, misconduct logs and investigative files. Federal investigators also examined court proceedings involving sexual misconduct allegations against California and its employees and contractors.
Investigators conducted a three-day onsite review at the Central California Women’s Facility in May 2025 and another three-day assessment at the California Institution for Women in July 2025. They interviewed prisoners and employees, toured housing units and work programs, and worked with two expert consultants specializing in correctional operations and prisoner sexual safety.
The Justice Department noted that California officials cooperated with the investigation.
Two Major California Women’s Prisons
The Central California Women’s Facility is located in Chowchilla and is California’s largest women’s prison. According to the DOJ report, it housed 2,189 prisoners as of July 29, 2026, and covers approximately 640 acres.
The California Institution for Women in Chino housed 1,124 prisoners as of the same date and covers approximately 120 acres.
The federal investigation began on Sept. 4, 2024, under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, or CRIPA.
When announcing the investigation, DOJ pointed to hundreds of private lawsuits alleging sexual abuse at the Chowchilla facility and a lawsuit involving 21 women incarcerated at the Chino prison. Allegations cited at the time ranged from inappropriate touching during searches to forcible sexual assault.
The investigation also examined whether reporting systems and institutional practices discouraged prisoners from reporting misconduct.
The 2026 findings report describes concerns about the confidentiality of complaints, including instances in which employees allegedly accessed information involving grievances filed against them. Investigators said weaknesses in the reporting and investigative systems could discourage prisoners from making complaints because they feared allegations would not remain confidential.
DOJ Orders Corrective Measures
The Justice Department has now formally notified California of minimum corrective measures it says are necessary to remedy the constitutional violations.
Those measures include expanded surveillance-camera coverage, improved confidential reporting channels, stronger investigative procedures, enhanced staff training and monitoring, and safeguards that comply with PREA.
Federal officials stressed that the findings require action rather than simply additional study.
“California owes a legal and moral duty to safeguard prisoners in its custody,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said.
Essayli said the report should serve as a “turning point” for addressing persistent failures involving sexual abuse at the facilities.
U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California similarly urged swift compliance with the remedial measures outlined by federal investigators.
DOJ – California Has 49 Days to Address Findings
California now faces a significant deadline.
The Justice Department said that if state officials do not satisfactorily address the identified problems within 49 days, the U.S. Attorney General may initiate litigation under CRIPA.
That does not mean the Justice Department has already filed a lawsuit against California. Thursday’s announcement represents the findings of a federal civil rights investigation and formal notice to the state of alleged constitutional violations and required corrective measures.
DOJ said it intends to work cooperatively with California in seeking remedies.
The distinction is important: the department’s determination is a federal investigative finding that there is reasonable cause to believe systemic constitutional violations exist. It is not a final judgment issued by a court.
However, the findings substantially increase the legal pressure on California. If federal and state officials cannot reach an acceptable resolution, CRIPA gives the Justice Department authority to pursue the matter in federal court.
For California, the next 49 days will determine whether the findings lead to negotiated reforms or escalate into federal civil rights litigation over conditions inside two of the state’s women’s prisons.
