Female inmates illegally sterilized

A recently released state audit confirmed previous reports that dozens of female inmates in California’s prison system have been illegally sterilized.

Lawmakers requested the audit after the Center for Investigative Reporting found that physicians contracted by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation had sterilized 148 female inmates without consent between 2006 and 2010, according to California Healthline.

State Auditor Elaine Howle concluded that 39 of the 144 tubal ligations performed in fiscal years 2005-06 and 2012-13 did not include signed consent paperwork required by state law.

In 27 cases, the inmate’s physician did not sign a consent form stating that the prisoner was mentally competent, understood the procedure and had waited the required waiting period of 30 days.

Of the women sterilized, most had been pregnant five or more times and had lower than a high school reading level.