JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — State Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins, D-St. Louis, has earned a hearing in the House Special Committee on Criminal Justice on House Bill 1922, which will establish a new nonpartisan committee to oversee operations and safety at Missouri Department of Corrections facilities.
The Department of Corrections Oversight Committee to identify issues within DOC and ensure the DOC honors its obligations to the people under its supervision, which Collins says it sometimes fails to do.
“The disregard for humanity on display in some of our state prisons has chilled me to the core,” Collins said. “When we, as a state, mistreat our imprisoned population, it sends a signal that we disregard the dignity of human life. This abuse also makes it much more difficult for these people to re-enter society as citizens who can contribute to society.”
In her time as a state representative, Collins has worked diligently to visit state jails and prisons across the state and answer calls from inmates who have reportedly endured neglect, abuse, and violence — including sexual assault and torture — at the hands of DOC staff and other inmates at several of these facilities.
“This committee will help bring these terrifying incidents and systemic problems to light and facilitate a more expeditious avenue for them to be addressed,” Collins said.
The DOC Oversight Committee would consist of nine members, including legislators appointed by majority and minority party leadership in both the Missouri House and Senate. It would also include five gubernatorial appointees from myriad occupations — including a licensed physician, a law or criminal justice professor, a licensed attorney, a member of the clergy, and a formerly incarcerated person — to ensure the holistic needs of prisoners are being met. These appointees would have the same rights as legislators to visit DOC facilities at any time without prior notice.
The hearing will take place at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 12 in House Hearing Room 6.
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