New US prisons chief pledges truth, reform for ailing system

WASHINGTON (AP) — The outsider brought in to reform the ailing federal Bureau of Prisons has pledged to hold accountable any employees who sexually assault inmates and reform the agency’s archaic hiring practices. Colette Peters also did not rule out closing problematic prisons. In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press on Monday (Oct. 24, 2022), Peters pledged to change the agency’s hiring practices to find candidates who want to “change hearts and minds.” AP reporting has revealed rampant sexual abuse and other criminal conduct by staff. There have been dozens of escapes, deaths, and severe staffing shortages that have hampered responses to emergencies.