TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas officials say incidents of sexual misconduct against inmates at the state’s prison for women have been rare since the start of 2011.
Corrections Secretary Ray Roberts said Friday he was surprised by a finding from the U.S. Justice Department that characterized such problems at the Topeka Correctional Facility as rampant. The finding was contained in a letter Thursday to Gov. Sam Brownback.
Brownback said Friday the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division didn’t take into account what he called aggressive steps taken since January 2011 to address the problems.
The prison’s warden, Hope Cooper, said since the start of 2011, there has been only one confirmed case of inmate-on-inmate abuse at the prison and none involving staff against inmates.
Justice Department officials didn’t immediately comment Friday.
