St. Louis Agrees to $4M Settlement for Workhouse Inmate Conditions

St. Louis has agreed to a $4 million settlement to compensate at least 16,000 people who were incarcerated at the notorious Medium Security Institution, also known as the Workhouse, from 2012 to 2022. The jail was infamous for its inhumane conditions, including infestations of rats, roaches, snakes, black mold, and extreme temperatures without climate control. The settlement, reached after a class action lawsuit filed in 2017 by the nonprofit ArchCity Defenders, will distribute funds based on the length of incarceration, averaging about $250 per eligible person. The city denied any wrongdoing as part of the agreement but committed to never using the facility again, which was closed in 2022 and is now being demolished. Former inmates and activists, including plaintiffs like Jasmine Borden and James Cody, highlighted the severe mistreatment they endured, emphasizing that compensation cannot replace lost time in such conditions. Current Mayor Cara Spencer expressed support for the settlement pending court approval, while former Mayor Tishaura Jones, who advocated for the jail's closure, signed off on the deal shortly before leaving office.