The Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General announced today the release of an inspection of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) United States Penitentiary (USP) Canaan in Waymart, Pennsylvania. USP Canaan is a high-security U.S. penitentiary with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp housing male inmates. The on-site inspection, which occurred from June 2 to June 5, 2025, was the 13th unannounced inspection under the DOJ Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) on-site BOP inspections program.
The OIG identified several serious issues at USP Canaan, including:
• Concerning Use of Restraints on Inmates. Multiple USP Canaan employees expressed concerns to us that they had seen four-point restraints applied too tightly, which they believed caused the hands of restrained inmates to swell and become discolored. We also found that while USP Canaan generally conducted required restraint checks, the institution—in a few notable instances—failed to adequately document crucial information about the progression of an inmate’s injuries and food or water consumption while in restraints.
• Limitations on Inmate Movement Disrupted Institution-Wide Operations. USP Canaan frequently used modified operations to limit inmate movement due to a high Special Housing Unit (SHU) population and the resultant need for inmates who would normally be assigned to the SHU to remain in general population housing units. The restrictions on inmate movement disrupted institution-wide functions and inmates’ access to programs, healthcare, and psychology services.
• Issues with USP Canaan’s Provision of Healthcare to its Inmates. At the time of our inspection, USP Canaan had not had an on-site, full-time physician since November 2022. We also identified issues related to the timeliness of healthcare and laboratory testing; inconsistent and unsafe medication administration practices; and expired medical supplies. These issues risk impeding the institution’s ability to provide adequate and timely healthcare to inmates. We also observed unsafe practices in Dental Services, specifically sharp dental surgical tools and chloroform stored in unlocked cabinets near inmates.
• USP Canaan Did Not Meet BOP Monitoring and Contraband-Interdiction Requirements. USP Canaan failed to follow BOP inmate-monitoring requirements, such as the requirements for single-celling inmates in the SHU, and completing rounds in general population housing units, including during lockdowns and modified operations. We also found that USP Canaan did not consistently search employees or visitors for contraband in accordance with BOP policy. Further, we found widespread and unconcealed evidence of contraband, including sports gambling paraphernalia and tattoo needles, that was present and highly visible in inmate housing units during the inspection.
• Inappropriate Imagery and Demeaning Language Observed in Employee-Only Access Area. We observed employees using inappropriate and demeaning language toward both inmates and fellow employees, such as an employee using sexually explicit language over the institution’s official radio communications channel. We also found several instances, in various employee-only areas, of concerning imagery containing sexually explicit language and symbols associated with designated criminal groups, as well as white supremacy and antisemitic movements.
The OIG made nine recommendations to ensure effective operations at USP Canaan and safe conditions of confinement for the inmates housed there. These recommendations are consistent with requirements outlined in the Federal Prison Oversight Act. The BOP agreed with all of the recommendations.