a fire. Rat infestations so bad that vermin crawl over prisoners; sometimes, the rats are captured, put on leashes and sold as pets to the most severely mentally ill inmates. Many suicide attempts, some successful. The untreated mentally ill throw feces, scream, start fires, electrocute themselves and self-mutilate. Denying or delaying treatment for infections and even cancer. Stabbings, beatings and other acts of violence. Juveniles being housed with adults, including one 16-year-old who was sexually assaulted by his adult cell mate. Malnourishment and chronic hunger. Officers who deal with prisoners by using physical violence. Health care can be difficult or impossible for prisoners to access, with documented instances of prisoners who did not receive appropriate care for life-threatening conditions. In a deposition, a shift captain said that low wages and high turnover contributed to staff problems and the "persistence of security problems and corruption."<ref name="Erica Goode">Erica Goode (June 7, 2014). "Seeing Squalor and Unconcern in a Mississippi Jail", ''The New York Times, 7 June 2014, Retrieved 3 December 2014.</ref> Experts investigating mental and medical health issues said that records were lacking or non-existent, there were few diagnoses or records of informed consent for treatment, and treatment was minimal, with ill-considered medication of prisoners. Guards receive only three week's training and are paid even less than guards at state-run institutions. While the state system spends about $40 per inmate per day, the contract for this facility pays only $26.The private company pays bonuses to management for cost-cutting but does not penalized when inmates are denied treatment or die in custody. The company has explained that prisons are supposed to be "tough." On September 29, 2015, the court granted Plaintiffs' motion for class certification. This allows the case, known as Dockery v. Epps, to proceed as a class action on behalf of all prisoners at EMCF. Department of Justice investigations During this period, the United States Department of Justice has investigated EMCF as part of an overall investigation and assessment of the Mississippi prison system. This was especially directed to implement the Prison Rape Elimination Act, passed in 2003. The Department of Justice has worked with state, local and private personnel to implement education and efforts to prevent sexual abuse in prison. A team visiting EMCF toured the facility and records, and interviewed numerous staff and offenders. It issued a PREA audit report on the facility dated May 29, 2015. It has