Judge appoints special master to oversee California federal women’s prison after rampant abuse

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A special master has been appointed for a federal women’s prison in California known for rampant sexual abuse against inmates. A judge on Friday named Wendy Still to oversee the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin. The prison is about 21 miles east of Oakland. It marks the first time a facility run by the federal Bureau of Prisons has been subject to such oversight. The order came as part of a federal lawsuit filed by eight inmates and an advocacy group. A 2021 Associated Press investigation that found a culture of abuse and cover-ups at the prison brought increased scrutiny from Congress and the federal Bureau of Prisons.