Female prisoners complain they haven't seen sunlight in months (2024)

Female prisoners who have been transferred to a new prison claim they haven't been exposed to or seen sunlight in months.

Carolyn Knudsen, was moved to a detention center in downtown Miami since the Federal Correctional Institute in Dublin, California, was suddenly shut down in mid-April. She was locked up for transporting children across state lines for purposes of sexual abuse

Now serving her time in FDC Miami, a high-rise detention center that houses pretrial detainees, Knudsen told her father she hasn't seen sunlight since leaving Dublin and is unable take any classes to reduce her sentence because the programs were full.

'She can't get outside, and it's draining on her,' her father Paul Knudsen told Fox5. 'She is more depressed and is crying when I talk to her.'

Susan Beaty, representing hundreds of former FCI Dublin inmates, claims similar conditions exist at SeaTac and Philadelphia federal detention centers.

This past month, Beaty visited clients in Seattle and reported that nearly 40 women complained of no sunlight exposure.

Unlike FCI Dublin, which had outdoor spaces, these holding centers are designed for short-term stays and lack the infrastructure to accommodate long-term inmates.

'There is no outdoor space,' Beaty said.

'The folks we talked to in SeaTac made it very clear that they had not been outside since arriving there in April. So, for several months now, they've not had access to direct sunlight or fresh air. This is particularly concerning for people who have medical and mental health conditions.

'The lack of access to outdoor space has really compounded the impact of these transfers and the trauma that our clients have already been through.'

Roughly 200 of the 605 women transferred from the now-shuttered FCI Dublin are housed in three Bureau of Prisons detention centers.

The abrupt closure of FCI Dublin followed a prolonged sex abuse scandal and the appointment of a special master to oversee reforms at the low-security prison. Once a sprawling facility with outdoor spaces and views of the East Bay hills, Dublin offered inmates daily outdoor time.

Disputes have arisen over the conditions at the new facilities. While the BOP claims detainees have access to sunlight in outdoor recreation areas, inmates and their attorneys disagree.

Women at SeaTac and other centers describe limited or no direct sunlight, with some reporting skylights that offer little natural light. Additionally, complaints include inadequate ventilation and potential Vitamin D deficiencies, evidenced by BOP recommendations to 'drink milk' to help with the side effects.

The BOP counters these claims with a narrow definition of sunlight access, citing enclosed outdoor spaces and a viral video showing inmates at FDC Miami with access to open windows. However, they've declined to provide photographic evidence of the conditions at these facilities, leaving the issue unresolved.

Oakland attorney Yolanda Huang successfully sued San Francisco County jails in October 2023 for denying inmates outdoor access. The judge ruled in favor of her clients, mandating at least 15 minutes of daily sunlight for some inmates after a year of incarceration. However, Huang reports that this order has yet to be implemented.

Huang emphasizes that 'access to sunlight' is a complex issue. Mere openings in ceilings or non-opening windows do not constitute adequate sunlight exposure.

Huang's victory was built on the principle that incarceration should not lead to chronic illness.

In the case of the transferred FCI Dublin women, attorney Susan Beaty has brought these concerns to the attention of the court-appointed special master overseeing their care.

While the Knudsens hope for a resolution, there's been no indication of site visits or rulings on the matter thus far.