Congressman Dennis Cardoza
18th Congressional District of California

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Dennis Cardoza formally requested today that the House Judiciary Committee hold a hearing on the ongoing incidents at U.S. Penitentiary Atwater.

The request follows a string of inmate-on-inmate assaults since prisoners were released from a nearly three-month lockdown that resulted from the stabbing death of Correctional Officer Jose Rivera.

“What I am concerned about most is the fact that we still are seeing a high number of inmates with weapons in their possession,” Congressman Cardoza said. “How much longer will it be before a correctional officer is again assaulted? We have a responsibility to protect the safety of our officers and our community.”