Everyday Injustice Podcast Episode 252: Survivors Details Abuse and Retaliation at FCI Dublin

Decades of allegations of sexual abuse at the women’s prison at FCI-Dublin led to the stunning decision by the Bureau of Prisons to shut down the prison altogether. A special master was appointed by the judge, who noted, “that some of the deficiencies and issues exposed within this report are likely an indication of systemwide issues within the BOP, rather than simply within FCI-Dublin.” Everyday Injustice sat down with two survivors: Darlene Baker and Kendra Drysdale along with staff attorney Susan Beaty, Senior Attorney with the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice. “I think what happened at Dublin was horrendous and egregious and just the scale and sort of blatant … of the abuse that went on for years and years and dozens and dozens of people were assaulted and abused is pretty shocking,” she explained. “. I think though what anyone who’s been inside and folks who’ve worked alongside people in prison for long enough will tell you is that fortunately Dublin’s not unique. That abuse is inherent to our prison system. It’s happening in anywhere where people are incarcerated.” Drysdale said the retaliation was horrible – they fired her from her job, took her commissary rights for seven months, and “The biggest thing they took from me was my date – my (release) date. I was supposed to leave in October, and they raised my points, so I wasn’t unable to leave.” She ended up being over-incarcerated by four or five months. Listen to the stories of abuse, retaliation but also perseverance and ultimately strength and survival.