MISSOURI, USA — Prison reform advocates say a lack of independent oversight at the Missouri Department of Corrections has led to millions of taxpayer dollars spent on lawsuits.
This video shows the final moments of 38-year-old Othel Moore’s life. His family said he died alone in a Missouri prison, neglected when he needed urgent medical care. Moore died on Dec. 8, 2023, while in a restraint system designed to prevent injury to himself and others. The Cole County Sheriff’s Department said it has since discontinued use of the restraint system in which Moore was held.
It hits close to home for Tempest Williams.
“Oh, it's, it's ridiculous," she said.
Her boyfriend is incarcerated for a probation violation, and she worries his basic medical needs are being ignored. She said he recently begged for oral surgery at a St. Louis County prison.
“He said … wisdom tooth causing extreme pain," Williams said. “And clearly, you can see they didn't put nothing on here," she said, referring to paperwork.
Instead, she said he was written up and put on lockdown. When she finally saw him, she could feel his anguish.
“I've never seen my man cry. He had tears coming down his eyes and was in excruciating pain," she said.
This kind of suffering isn’t just affecting people behind bars—it’s costing Missouri taxpayers millions. Since 2020, data shows Missouri’s Department of Corrections has paid out $68 million in lawsuit settlements. Those lawsuits, filed by contractors, inmates and former staff, allege everything from employer misconduct to abuse, according to data from the Missouri Attorney General Office’s Legal Expense Fund, analyzed by the nonprofit Empower Missouri.
To dig deeper, the I-Team interviewed prison reform advocates across the state. Among them was Mallory Rusch with Empower Missouri.
“What I don't want my taxpayer dollars to be used for is paying out lawsuits to DOC staff because the department does not have appropriate controls in place to prevent abuses in their facilities," she said.
Others like Lori Curry said the data reveals a system failing from within.
“It's getting worse every day,” said Curry, executive director of nonprofit Missouri Prison Reform.
“What are the changes that need to be made?” Senior Investigative Reporter Paula Vasan asked.
“We are really pushing for legislation that would implement an independent department in the state," Curry said.
In 21 other states, including Illinois, advocates say independent agencies that inspect facilities and respond to complaints have reduced abuse and saved taxpayer dollars, according to the National Resource Center for Correctional Oversight, which provides guidance and research to policymakers, elected and appointed officials, and advocates across the country.
The states that have independent correctional oversight bodies are:
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
A Corrections spokesperson declined an on-camera interview but said in an email that the department is “constantly making improvements,” citing new body scanners to block dangerous contraband. They added, “The narrative that people in Missouri prisons don’t get adequate health care or are more likely to die is simply false.”
But many argue that the facts tell a different story. Inside Missouri’s prisons, about 12 people die every month, according to Missouri Prison Reform.
Curry said the number is the highest she's ever seen, and it continues to rise.
“You've got two nurses working a facility with 2,000 individuals, and people aren't getting necessary medications like mental health meds, cardiac meds, epilepsy medications, things like that," she said.
She's also calling for an anonymous hotline allowing families, detainees and staff to report issues without fear of retaliation as part of the independent oversight program.
A Corrections spokesperson said the death rate among inmates is actually lower than the death rate among the general population in Missouri. They told the I-Team in an email: “The vast majority of offender deaths are from natural causes, just like anywhere else in the state ... There’s simply an implication that most deaths are caused by neglect or violence, which simply isn’t the case. It’s a false narrative that isn’t backed up by data."
They also cited the Department of Health and Senior Services, which reported Missouri's death rate in 2023 as 10.7 per 1,000 people.
"Among people sentenced to Missouri prisons (though not necessarily in Missouri prisons at the time of death; many deaths occur in hospitals) in FY23, the rate was 3.89 per 1,000 people ...” the Corrections spokesperson wrote.
But, people like Williams want more oversight and transparency from the Department of Corrections.
“I feel like they feel like they got power, and they take advantage of it," Williams said.
Prison reform advocates argue that an independent watchdog could prevent abuse and reduce taxpayer-funded settlements by enforcing accountability. It’s now up to Missouri lawmakers to decide if that oversight is necessary.
A spokesperson with the Missouri Department of Corrections said they cannot comment on litigation. They also told us that medical staff are not corrections/state employees; they work for Centurion, with whom the department contracts for offender health care.
They told us the department has an anonymous hotline, known as the CLEAR line, that has been in place since 2017. It’s 573-526-7000 or 1-855-773-6391. Flyers and posters promoting the hotline are posted throughout Missouri correctional centers, including in lobbies and visiting rooms. It also has an Office of Professional Standards and an Employee Conduct Unit in which dedicated investigators investigate all conduct complaints and ensure that appropriate action is taken, which may include dismissal and/or notification of law enforcement.
A DOC spokesperson tells us the Missouri Department of Corrections is the largest department in the state, with more than 9,000 employees, but uses only 2% of the operating budget.
“We’re essentially running 19 small cities that provide food, housing, clothing, education, job training, medical care, mental health care, substance use treatment, counseling, transportation and hundreds of other services to tens of thousands of people with a smaller budget than many other government agencies,” the spokesperson said.
It’s the role of the Missouri General Assembly — not the Department of Corrections — to determine whether, when and in what form an independent oversight committee would be created. That is outside the department’s role.