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Inspection of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ U.S. Penitentiary Canaan

Between Monday, June 2, and Thursday, June 5, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) conducted an unannounced, on-site inspection of U.S. Penitentiary (USP) Canaan in Waymart, Pennsylvania. The institution houses male inmates in a high-security federal penitentiary and adjacent minimum-security satellite camp. This is the OIG’s first inspection of a standalone USP.

We found various areas in which USP Canaan’s institutional practices and operational limitations pose risks to inmate safety and institutional security. We summarize our findings below:

Restraints

  • We identified unsafe application of four-point restraints, which caused inmates severe discomfort and posed a risk of serious and lasting injury.
  • USP Canaan generally conducted required restraint checks but, 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.

Modified Operations

  • USP Canaan frequently used modified operations to limit inmate movement due to a high Special Housing Unit (SHU) population and resultant need for inmates who would normally be assigned to the SHU to remain in general population housing units.
  • Inmates on units where an inmate assigned to SHU was housed were confined to their cells for most of the day.
  • Restrictions on inmate movement disrupted institution-wide functions and inmates’ access to programs, healthcare, and psychology services.

Inmate Healthcare

  • There was no Clinical Director or staff physician on site and, prior to March 2025, no full-time phlebotomist, leading to clinical challenges and delays in laboratory testing.
  • We identified issues that could delay treatment of inmates’ health conditions, including:
    • delays in receiving outside medical care for serious health issues, and
    • lack of adequate documentation for sick call requests.
  • Sharp tools, hazardous chemicals, and flammable materials were unsecured in Dental Services space.
  • Employees engaged in inconsistent and unsafe medication administration practices.
  • We discovered expired naloxone and found that the institution’s emergency vehicles were non-functioning.

Safety and Security

  • USP Canaan failed to follow BOP inmate-monitoring requirements, including:
    • requirements for single-celling inmates in the SHU, and
    • completing rounds in general population housing units, including during lockdowns and modified operations.
  • USP Canaan did not consistently search employees or visitors in accordance with BOP policy.

Other Issues

  • Several sinks and showers in housing units produced water temperatures outside the BOP’s acceptable range.
  • Iconography and symbols associated with criminal entities were displayed in employee-only areas, and we observed use of derogatory and sexually explicit language among employees.
  • Contraband, including sports gambling paraphernalia and tattoo needles, was present and highly visible in inmate housing units.
Posted Date
May 21, 2026
Report Number
26-055
Component
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Location
Waymart, PA
United States
Report Type
Inspection / Evaluation
Number of Recommendations
9