Coronavirus & Jails-Prisons

Correctional facilities throughout the United States are worried about the Coronavirus. As of March 9th, the virus’s illness, COVID 19, has infected 553 Americans, and 19 fatalities. Since January, world wide, approximately, 105,000 people were infected by the virus and more than 3,600 have died.

According to Tyler Winkelman, co-director of the Criminal Justice Lab at the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute. “All prisons and jails should anticipate that the coronavirus will enter their facility, and they need to have plans for monitoring and treating anyone who has symptoms.” Winkleman concluded, “it’s only a matter of time before the novel coronavirus enters a US jail or prisons.”

For the individual, who does not care for the welfare of inmates, keep in mind that correctional officers, civilian workers, and visitors will also be at risk from the Coronavirus. Every day, inmates are admitted and released, officers and civilians come to work and go home.

What To Do:

Winkleman stated, “We know the coronavirus spreads quickly in closed spaces, like cruise ships, nursing homes — and jails and prisons.”Winkleman discussed reducing risk within jails and prisons, by not locking up individuals charged with minor offenses, pending their court date. We should not not incarcerate individuals, who are unable to pay bond.

Homer Venters, former chief medical officer of the New York City jail system, stated that jails and prisons need to prepare now, for the crisis–“they need to have a plan in place to identify and house together people with suspected and diagnosed COVID-19 and those who are at high risk of serious illness if they become infected.”

Prisons and jails are vulnerable to  public health emergencies.  Inmates have fewer protections from a virus outbreak, and often receive ineffective medical care. Winkleman noted, we need to protect such facilities. since“jail and prison health care is public health. It’s community health.” Please feel free to share this article, see https://www.linkedin.com/feed/?trk=eml-email_accept_invite_digest_02-header-80-home

Posted by: Bradley Schwartz
Founder of prisonpath.com
Prison Consultant