In May of 2023, Jessica Mack entered the Residential Residential Reentry Management facility in Kansas City to begin to transition back to freedom after serving time in federal prison. Instead of assisting her in reintegrating into society, the staff at the reentry center continuously violated her human rights in a manner both uniquely horrible and remarkably common to the Bureau of Prisons.
Ms. Mack first contacted The Remedy Project in July of 2023. In a rapid pace and anxious tone, she told us that for several months, the facility’s bus driver, Monitor Doherty, had been sexually harassing her. A few days before she called us, Monitor Doherty had become so frustrated that Jessica was denying his advances that he decided to take some revenge. Doherty lied to his coworker, Officer Angela Smith, and told her Ms. Mack had called her an offensive name.
The next morning, Ms. Mack was confronted by Officer Smith and another officer. Smith ridiculed and yelled at her, calling her disrespectful names and saying she, “was going to go nowhere in life.” Ms. Mack attempted to walk away and Smith followed her, continuing to yell. Smith then attempted to physically assault her. The Social Services Coordinator at the facility, Mr. Mackey, witnessed this and attempted to de-escalate, and assured Jessica after the incident that he would help her.
The next day Jessica confronted Doherty for his lie to Smith, and decided to file a formal report about his harassment and Officer Smith’s assault with the BOP, as is her right via the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), with the help of Mr. Mackey.
The following day, Jessica was denied entry into the facility after the rest of her fellow residents had already gone back. Alone, standing in front of the facility reception desk, she asked why she was held back. The monitor at reception, Monitor Robertson, told her that she and the other officers knew about Ms. Mack’s conflict with Doherty and Smith, which should have been confidential. Enraged, Jessica called Robertson a “bitch”, and walked towards the door. Robertson yelled after her and revealed that she knew that Ms. Mack had filed a PREA report on Doherty. By exposing Ms. Mack’s personal matters, Robertson dehumanized her. Robertson and Ms. Mack began to provoke one another, and Robertson became physically violent towards Ms. Mack, placing her in a chokehold. Ms. Mack never physically fought back. Nonetheless, after the incident, Robertson filed a disciplinary report against Ms. Mack, claiming that Ms. Mack had attacked her.
Shortly after the discipline report was filed, she got a call from the boss at her part-time job and was informed that she would be let go. Desperate, she went back to Mr. Mackey, the only person who might be able to help her appeal the disciplinary report, even though she knew he told other officers after her PREA report. Ms. Mack believed that justice was still on her side. Camera footage and witnesses could prove that she was cornered, provoked, and attacked and that she did not attack back. Despite the evidence, Mr. Mackey blamed Ms. Mack for the altercation because she had approached Robertson first. He told her that her only options were to return to jail, or let all of her complaints go, including the original report about sexual harassment against Doherty.
At her disciplinary hearing, her case manager refused to record her sexual harassment defense and her request for witness and camera footage from the Robertson assault. The next day, Marshalls took Ms. Mack back to jail, where she served the remainder of her halfway house time. Jessica was brutally punished for trying to find safety and dignity in a system not designed for either.
The staff at the Residential Reentry Management facility in Kansas City, much like the staff at every other Bureau of Prison facility in the country, demonstrated that they have complete discretion over how they treat the people they house and will punish those who try to speak up. Jessica was sent to prison for being sexually harassed. She lost her job, her foothold back in society, and any trust she might have left in government authority. At every turn, the staff at the RRM violated law, policy, and basic human decency. Until we get justice for Ms. Mack and others who also face similar injustices, The Remedy Project students will continue to advocate for those who have been wronged by the American prison system. We cannot, and must not, allow prison staff to get away with treating people as less than human, and threaten the safety of those trying to reintegrate into society by retaliating against those who stand up for what is right.
In May of 2023, Jessica Mack entered the Residential Residential Reentry Management facility in Kansas City to begin to transition back to freedom after serving time in federal prison. Instead of assisting her in reintegrating into society, the staff at the reentry center continuously violated her human rights in a manner both uniquely horrible and remarkably common to the Bureau of Prisons.
Ms. Mack first contacted The Remedy Project in July of 2023. In a rapid pace and anxious tone, she told us that for several months, the facility’s bus driver, Monitor Doherty, had been sexually harassing her. A few days before she called us, Monitor Doherty had become so frustrated that Jessica was denying his advances that he decided to take some revenge. Doherty lied to his coworker, Officer Angela Smith, and told her Ms. Mack had called her an offensive name.
The next morning, Ms. Mack was confronted by Officer Smith and another officer. Smith ridiculed and yelled at her, calling her disrespectful names and saying she, “was going to go nowhere in life.” Ms. Mack attempted to walk away and Smith followed her, continuing to yell. Smith then attempted to physically assault her. The Social Services Coordinator at the facility, Mr. Mackey, witnessed this and attempted to de-escalate, and assured Jessica after the incident that he would help her.
The next day Jessica confronted Doherty for his lie to Smith, and decided to file a formal report about his harassment and Officer Smith’s assault with the BOP, as is her right via the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), with the help of Mr. Mackey.
The following day, Jessica was denied entry into the facility after the rest of her fellow residents had already gone back. Alone, standing in front of the facility reception desk, she asked why she was held back. The monitor at reception, Monitor Robertson, told her that she and the other officers knew about Ms. Mack’s conflict with Doherty and Smith, which should have been confidential. Enraged, Jessica called Robertson a “bitch”, and walked towards the door. Robertson yelled after her and revealed that she knew that Ms. Mack had filed a PREA report on Doherty. By exposing Ms. Mack’s personal matters, Robertson dehumanized her. Robertson and Ms. Mack began to provoke one another, and Robertson became physically violent towards Ms. Mack, placing her in a chokehold. Ms. Mack never physically fought back. Nonetheless, after the incident, Robertson filed a disciplinary report against Ms. Mack, claiming that Ms. Mack had attacked her.
Shortly after the discipline report was filed, she got a call from the boss at her part-time job and was informed that she would be let go. Desperate, she went back to Mr. Mackey, the only person who might be able to help her appeal the disciplinary report, even though she knew he told other officers after her PREA report. Ms. Mack believed that justice was still on her side. Camera footage and witnesses could prove that she was cornered, provoked, and attacked and that she did not attack back. Despite the evidence, Mr. Mackey blamed Ms. Mack for the altercation because she had approached Robertson first. He told her that her only options were to return to jail, or let all of her complaints go, including the original report about sexual harassment against Doherty.
At her disciplinary hearing, her case manager refused to record her sexual harassment defense and her request for witness and camera footage from the Robertson assault. The next day, Marshalls took Ms. Mack back to jail, where she served the remainder of her halfway house time. Jessica was brutally punished for trying to find safety and dignity in a system not designed for either.
The staff at the Residential Reentry Management facility in Kansas City, much like the staff at every other Bureau of Prison facility in the country, demonstrated that they have complete discretion over how they treat the people they house and will punish those who try to speak up. Jessica was sent to prison for being sexually harassed. She lost her job, her foothold back in society, and any trust she might have left in government authority. At every turn, the staff at the RRM violated law, policy, and basic human decency. Until we get justice for Ms. Mack and others who also face similar injustices, The Remedy Project students will continue to advocate for those who have been wronged by the American prison system. We cannot, and must not, allow prison staff to get away with treating people as less than human, and threaten the safety of those trying to reintegrate into society by retaliating against those who stand up for what is right.
