The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) takes very seriously any allegations of physical abuse or misconduct by staff within our Nation's Federal correctional facilities. The BOP has a zero-tolerance policy towards any manner of contact by staff with inmates that is not consistent with agency professional standards. Every allegation of misconduct is reviewed and, when circumstances warrant, the matter is referred for criminal prosecution.

The BOP has and will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation and prosecution of Mr. Armstrong, by the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. As no other correctional staff at the United States Penitentiary (USP) Florence, Colorado, have been identified by name during this investigation, we cannot address the employment status of additional staff that are alleged to have been involved in this case.

The over 30,000 Federal correctional professionals at 94 Federal prisons protect the public by confining more than 114,000 inmates across the country. The vast majority of prison employees carry out their responsibilities faithfully, under difficult circumstances.