What Joe Exotic’s Coronavirus Quarantine Tells Us About Pandemics in Prison

For the last two weeks, millions of people around the world seeking a distraction from the global coronavirus pandemic have been binge-watching Netflix’s hit docuseries Tiger King. Now, two of the biggest plotlines of 2020 have merged.

It’s being widely reported that Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, is in isolation after being exposed to coronavirus. While the internet hive mind was quick to blame Carole Baskin, the real reason Joe Exotic is at such high risk for contracting coronavirus is that he’s living in one of the most dangerous places to be during a pandemic — a prison.

Experts say that when it comes to a coronavirus outbreak, jails and prisons are a “powder keg waiting to explode.” Most corrections facilities are overcrowded, so social distancing is impossible. Hand sanitizer is considered contraband because of its alcohol content. And soap and cleaning supplies are extremely limited. We’re already seeing the consequences of this at Rikers, where the rate of infection is up to 7x higher than the rest of NYC.

Joe Exotic is one of 2.3 million people facing this reality right now. It’s why REFORM is acting fast to get protective gear to people living and working in prisons and working with states across the country to implement our SAFER plan. This is about public safety, not politics. Our plan has been endorsed by medical experts and groups from across the political aisle. We need to get as many people who aren’t a danger to public safety out of prison as possible while improving conditions for those who remain.

Joe Exotic and countless others were sentenced to prison — not death. If you found a few spare hours this week to watch Tiger King (zero judgment — I did too) please take a few minutes today to take action with REFORM.

Meagan Bond is the Senior Director for Creative Campaigns at REFORM.