On August 24, 2021, the State of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Corrections (“NJDOC”) and the United States of America entered into an Agreement (“Agreement”) with the goal of ensuring that incarcerated persons at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility are provided with constitutional conditions that protect them from sexual abuse by staff.

The decree requires the State to implement policies and procedures that will protect incarcerated persons at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility from staff sexual abuse, including improved supervision, better reporting and investigation systems, increased staff accountability, and public transparency.

Under the consent decree, the New Jersey Department of Corrections will, among other things, implement policies and practices to ensure that incarcerated persons are protected from harm due to sexual abuse through appropriate supervision, effective and confidential methods for reporting of sexual abuse, and protections against retaliation for reporting sexual abuse.

The consent decree includes improved measures to ensure staff are held accountable for misconduct. It also requires greater transparency through public meetings with stakeholders, including former Edna Mahan incarcerated persons, advocates, and family members. The current consent decree also appoints an independent monitor to oversee and assess the State’s compliance with the terms of the proposed consent decree.