By james art Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed a progressive state prison official — who was instrumental in establishing “gender-affirming care” for trans inmates in Washington state — to serve on the Justice Department’s National Institute of Corrections (NIC) advisory board.
Among the policies implemented was one that searches or other searches would be “conducted by a correctional officer of the gender formally requested by the transgender individual.” For example, a biologically male inmate who identifies as a trans woman may request that a female warden conduct the search.
Cheryl Strange was first appointed to the post of Washington State Department of Corrections Secretary by Democratic Governor Jay Inslee in May 2021.
“This is a great honor at the end of my career,” Strange said in a statement Monday. “In Washington State, we have implemented leading national reforms that have created a more humane corrections system while improving public safety. I look forward to engaging with other national leaders at the federal and state levels of government on approaches that can be implemented at the national level. “
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Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a press conference at the Department of Justice on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 in Washington, DC (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
According to its website, NIC works “to influence penal policies, practices and operations across the country” in both federal and state correctional systems. The NIC Advisory Board provides recommendations for raising prison standards to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Justice, and Congress.
Strange’s appointment to the NIC board comes just days before the general election in November.
“Secretary Strange’s appointment is a testament to her lifelong commitment to public service and reform,” Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters said in a news release Monday. “Her progressive leadership has transformed Washington State’s corrections system by prioritizing both public safety and humane treatment, and her vision and experience will be invaluable as the NIC and Advisory Council work to raise the standard of corrections across the state .”
Last year, the Washington DOC and Disability Rights Washington agreed to change their policies regarding transgender inmates as part of a settlement that began in 2019.
Under the new terms, Washington DOC has put a “gender-affirming mental health professional” in every prison and requires “more transgender-focused training for correctional officers and the provision of gender-affirming clothing to transgender individuals.”
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(Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Cheryl Strange, inset, to serve on the advisory board of the Justice Department’s National Institute of Corrections.)
The agency’s compliance with the new policy will be monitored through 2026.
“This is a remarkable agreement and we look forward to continuing to work closely with DRW to implement it,” Strange said in a statement at the time. “We have already made significant improvements in the gender-affirming care offered to transgender prisoners in recent years, and this is another step in the right direction.”
The agreement also included that “DOC will ensure that transgender individuals in restrictive housing still have access to gender-affirming property,” and that “Checks and searches of transgender individuals will be conducted by a correctional officer of the gender that is officially requested by the transgender individual.”
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Transgender policies are a point of contention in the US (Adobe Stock)
According to a DOC news release, “The Department has already taken significant steps to update its policies to ensure fair treatment of transgender, intersex and non-binary inmates since Minister Strange’s arrival in 2021.”
Washington is one of several states to introduce treatment for transgender inmates at the expense of taxpayer dollars in recent years.
Strange also helped reform other aspects of the prison system, such as programs aimed at reducing recidivism rates among inmates, such as education and job skills training.
The Justice Department did not return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.