Rampant coronavirus among inmates shows failures of U.S. prison system
The U.S. holds more people behind bars than any other country. Without proper measures, COVID-19 is a problem no jail cell can contain.
The federal prison system is anything but safe from the pandemic as the coronavirus continues to infiltrate every sector of society.
COVID-19 cases across prisons are skyrocketing. Overcrowded jails — where social distancing physically isn’t an option — are petri dishes for contagious illnesses. Minimizing physical contact is near impossible as officers handcuff, escort and fingerprint inmates on a daily basis.
Confirmed cases have spilled into the thousands — and many local and state agencies have yet to release information regarding the outbreak or not tested inmates. There were at least 1,300 confirmed cases and at least 32 deaths in connection to prisons and jails across the country, according to a March 31 analysis by the New York Times.
High turnover rates in many jails fuel the rampant spread of the virus, bouncing from inmates and staff members to neighboring communities and beyond. About 150 of the country’s largest jails hold more than 1,000 people. In an effort to de-densify prisons, authorities have released thousands of inmates serving time for nonviolent crimes or those awaiting trial.
And correctional facilities across the United States have taken matters in containing the spread into their own hands. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are banned for inmates and access to soap and water isn’t always certain, so some prisons have moved infected prisoners to micro-prisons or placed inmates with fevers in solitary confinement to further avoid transmission.
In addition to overcrowding, unsanitary conditions and negligence, prisoners are at a higher risk of contracting the virus: Many suffer from immunodeficiencies, substance addiction, mental health issues and other chronic medical conditions.
The Cook County jail in Chicago now houses the most infected people, with more than 500 inmates and staff members testing positive as of April 14; about two-thirds of the cases were diagnosed in inmates, three of whom have died. Not all of the jail’s 4,400 inmates have been tested.
The first COVID-19 death of an inmate occurred in Louisiana: Patrick Jones, imprisoned for drug charges at a minimum-security correctional facility in Oakdale, told staff of a persistent cough before being hospitalized on March 19. He was placed on a ventilator on March 20 and died just eight days later.
Jones had long-term, pre-existing medical conditions, according to the Bureau of Prisons.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a guidance for prisons and jails to curb the spread. Limiting visitations, restricting movement and screening temperatures frequently are among a number of recommended procedures.
Some jails are more prepared than others due to experiences with natural disasters. A jail in Lamar County, Mississippi, is stocked with N95 masks, disinfectants and gloves in accordance with C.D.C. guidelines; Sheriff Danny Rigel underwent hurricanes and other disasters, which helped him prepare.
“This is like a big hurricane that we hope won’t get here,” Rigel told the New York Times.
The U.S. has had the most COVID-19 cases and deaths of any country. Globally, there have been more than 1,935,000 confirmed cases and over 121,000 deaths as of April 14, according to Johns Hopkins’ Center for Systems Science and Engineering live tracker. In the U.S., there have been close to 583,000 recognized cases across all states and more than 23,700 deaths.
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