Bureau that oversees Waseca prison with alarming COVID-19 rate faces scrutiny

There are just under 597 inmates at the federal prison in Waseca. As of Tuesday, more than 456 of them had contracted COVID-19, according to data kept by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Most have recovered and no deaths are reported.

The head of the union that represents staff at the prison told the Star Tribune infections began rising after a busload of new inmate arrived. But the bureau that oversees federal prisons is facing scrutiny for its handling of the pandemic.

The Office of Inspector General has found the bureau underutilized a program to reduce overcrowding in its prisons by sending eligible inmates home to complete their sentences. Criminal justice news site The Marshall Project found the bureau has largely ignored a tool to release inmates with health conditions that make them vulnerable to the coronavirus.

Reporter Keri Blakinger joined MPR News host Tom Crann to talk about her reporting on compassionate release. You can hear their conversation by clicking play on the audio player above.

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