DOJ Launches Federal Investigation Into Washington State for Housing Men in Women’s Prison
The US Department of Justice has launched a federal civil rights investigation into Washington state’s policy of housing biological males in the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW), following mounting allegations of sexual abuse, harassment, intimidation, and violence against female inmates. In a letter sent Tuesday to Governor Bob Ferguson, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon announced that the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division is formally investigating whether the Washington Department of Corrections (WDOC) has engaged in a “pattern or practice” of violating the constitutional rights of female prisoners housed at the Gig Harbor facility. The investigation comes after years of controversy surrounding Washington’s gender-based prison housing policies and multiple lawsuits alleging women were forced to live with violent male offenders who identified as female. “Our investigation is based on information that WCCW has failed to protect female prisoners from sexual and physical violence, harassment, voyeurism, and intimidation from male prisoners who identify as female and who WDOC has housed at WCCW,” the DOJ wrote. Assistant Attorney General Dhillon said, “Under my leadership, the Civil Rights Division will not allow women incarcerated in jails or prisons to be subject to unconstitutional risks of harm from male inmates. The constitutional rights of women cannot be sacrificed at the altar of appeasing unsupported and dangerous ideologies.” Interim US Attorney Neil Floyd for the Western District of Washington added: “Washington State must protect women inmates from the inherent dangers of incarcerating them with biological men. Our Constitution protects the civil rights of every American, including women who are in prison and forced by the State of Washington to live with male inmates.” The federal probe will examine whether Washington violated female inmates’ Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment by exposing them to alleged sexual assault, rape, voyeurism, and intimidation. The DOJ said it will review DOC policies and practices under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). The investigation follows several high-profile incidents involving trans-identifying male inmates housed at WCCW under policies implemented in 2020 by former Governor Jay Inslee’s administration. Under those rules, male inmates may be transferred into women’s prisons if approved through a DOC gender dysphoria review process. One of the most controversial cases involved Christopher Scott Williams, a 6-foot-4 biologically male inmate with convictions for child molestation and violent assault. Williams was transferred into WCCW in 2021 despite previously being denied placement because of his documented history of violence against women. Female inmate Mozzy Clark-Sanchez later filed a federal lawsuit alleging Williams repeatedly sexually assaulted and harassed her after prison officials forced them to share a cell. According to the lawsuit, Williams groped her while she slept, masturbated in front of her, threatened sexual violence, and continued intimidating her even after she filed complaints under the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Williams was quietly transferred back to a men’s prison in 2025 after years of allegations and public scrutiny. cont...
