CHICAGO (WBBM) -- After a 17 month investigation, federal authorities in Chicago allege that the Cook County jail is systematically violating inmates' constitutional rights.
The findings of the Justice Department probe conclude that the jail has failed to adequately protect inmates from violence by other inmates and brutality from staff, has neglected their medical and health care needs including suicide prevention, and failed to provide adequate living conditions even as basic as fire safety and sanitation.
The report says all of those failures result in unconstitutional living conditions at the huge jail complex.
The report also notes that three Cook County Jail inmates took their own lives in the first four months of 2008 alone and others have died due to inadequate medical care.
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald contends ``a culture of abuse'' exists inside the jail, which houses 9,800 people awaiting trial.
``The Cook County Jail has an obligation to provide conditions of confinement that do not offend the Constitution and take reasonable measures to protect inmates from harm,'' Fitzgerald said. ``The investigation clearly found that the jail failed that test.''
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart says his office welcomes the independent evaluation, and it will use the findings as a road map to address operational deficiencies and improve conditions at the county jail.
But, he says the report also fails to mention corrective action that has already been taken and often relies on inflammatory language. So far no response from County Board President Todd Stroger.
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