Federal Inspectors Cite Restraint and Medical Care Issues at USP Canaan

U.S. Penitentiary Canaan, a high-security federal prison in Connecticut. Inspectors visited the facility in June 2025. The inspection lasted four days. Staff applied four-point restraints so tightly that one inmate developed a life-threatening condition and permanent nerve injury after more than 100 hours in restraints.

Inmates experienced restricted movement on roughly two-thirds of days over a four-month period because the Special Housing Unit was at capacity.

The facility had no on-site physician and maintained a backlog of outside medical referrals. Laboratory testing faced significant delays, and expired emergency medication remained in circulation. Required inmate monitoring rounds were not consistently conducted, and contraband including weapons was visible in common areas.

Staff used demeaning language and displayed extremist imagery, according to the report. Employee screening procedures were bypassed on some occasions.

The Federal Prison Oversight Act, signed into law in 2024, requires regular risk-based inspections with limited notice. The Bureau of Prisons did not dispute the findings and stated support for corrective action. The Office of the Inspector General issued nine recommendations covering restraint practices, healthcare delivery, and contraband control.

The Bureau has retrained staff in some areas, repaired equipment, and removed problematic imagery. The Office of the Inspector General noted that similar deficiencies have appeared in prior inspections at other federal facilities.