Plus: Our demand letter to jails suspending visits
Prison Policy Initiative updates for March 17, 2020 Showing how mass incarceration harms communities and our national welfare
What prisons and jails are doing to slow down COVID-19 - and what else they must do immediately [[link removed]]
On a new page on our website, [[link removed]] we’re tracking the positive steps that prisons, jails, and other criminal justice agencies have taken to slow the spread of COVID-19. Most agencies are still ignoring the demands of national and local criminal justice reformers (demands that The Justice Collaborative is tracking in a comprehensive spreadsheet [[link removed]]). Some jurisdictions, however, are making positive changes.
See below for some of the policy changes we’ve identified so far, or check out the page at www.prisonpolicy.org/virusresponse.html. [[link removed]] We'll continue to add (and cull) from this page as correctional systems begin to catch up with the urgency of the situation.
Releasing people from jails and prisons
We already know that jails [[link removed]] and prisons [[link removed]] house large numbers of people with chronic diseases and complex medical needs who are more vulnerable [[link removed]] to COVID-19, and one of the best ways to protect these people is to reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities. Some jails are already making these changes:
In Cuyahoga County, Ohio [[link removed]], judges began expedited hearings on Saturday to help reduce the jail population. On a single day, they released 38 people [[link removed]] from the Cuyahoga County Jail, and they hope to release at least 200 more people charged with low-level, non-violent crimes. (March 14) In Los Angeles County, California [[link removed]], the Sheriff reported that they have released more than 600 people to mitigate the risk of virus transmission in crowded jails. (March 16) In Travis County, Texas [[link removed]], judges have begun to release more people from local jails on personal bonds (about 50% more often than usual), focusing on preventing people with health issues who are charged with non-violent offenses from going into the jail system.
Reducing jail admissions
Lowering jail admissions reduces “ jail churn [[link removed]]” — the rapid movement of people in and out of jails — and will allow the facility's total population to drop very quickly.
In Bexar County, Texas [[link removed]], Sheriff Javier Salazar released a COVID-19 mitigation plan that includes encouraging the use of cite and release and "filing non-violent offenses at large," rather than locking more people up during this pandemic. In Los Angeles County, California [[link removed]], the police department has reportedly reduced arrests from an average of about 300 per day to 60 per day by utilizing citations rather than booking people, in an effort to reduce jail admissions.
Reducing unnecessary contact, visits to crowded offices, and technical violations for people on parole and probation
We don’t (yet) know of any notable reforms in this area, but there is an important letter [[link removed]] from current and former probation and parole executives saying what must be done to promote social distancing and continuing to support people under supervision.
Eliminating medical co-pays
In most states, incarcerated people are expected to pay $2-$5 co-pays for physician visits, medications, and testing. Because incarcerated people typically earn 14 to 63 cents per hour, these charges are the equivalent of charging a free-world worker $200 or $500 for a medical visit [[link removed]]. The result is to discourage medical treatment and to put public health at risk. In 2019, some states [[link removed]] recognized the harm and eliminated these co-pays. We’re tracking how states are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic:
The web version of this article contains an expanded version of this table. The full table lists states that have made no changes in their co-pay policy in response to COVID-19, as well as states that did not respond to our survey.
Reducing the cost of phone and video calls
Most federal prisons, state prisons and many local jails have decided to drastically reduce or completely eliminate friends and family visitation so as to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure in facilities. In normal times, we would point to the significant evidence [[link removed]] that sustained meaningful contact with family and friends benefits incarcerated people in the long run, including reducing recidivism. But it is even more important, in this time of crisis, for incarcerated people to know that their loved ones are safe and vice versa. While many facilities have suspended in-person visitation, only a few have made an effort to supplement this loss by waiving fees for phone calls and video communication. Here is one notable example:
Shelby County, Tennessee [[link removed]] suspended jail visitations, but also decided that to maintain these vital connections between families, they are waiving fees for all phone calls and video communication. (March 12)
Other jurisdictions have instituted cost reductions that — while better than nothing — are embarrassingly stingy:
Montgomery County, Ohio [[link removed]] has agreed to provide people in jail with 1 free phone call per day and 2 free emails per day. In Connecticut [[link removed]], state prisons are providing 2 free phone calls per week for the next 30 days. In Florida [[link removed]]state prisons, the Department of Corrections is offering people in state prison 1 free video call, 2 free phone calls (up to 15 minutes) per week, 4 free JPay stamps each week, and they have reduced the cost of outbound videograms reduced by 50%. Harris County, Texas [[link removed]] is offering people in jails 2 free phone calls per week for the next 30 days. In Delaware [[link removed]], people in state prison now have access to 2 free 5-minute phone calls per week for the rest of March. The Vermont Department of Corrections [[link removed]] released a statement reporting that they are offering video calling starting this week (1 free video call per week up to 25 min).
Help us keep our page up to date
If you know of notable reforms that should be listed here, please let us know at [
[email protected]]. We won’t list everything, but we appreciate what you can send us.
Please support our work [[link removed]]
Our work is made possible by private donations. Can you help us keep going? We can accept tax-deductible gifts online [[link removed]] or via paper checks sent to PO Box 127 Northampton MA 01061. Thank you!
Other news: Is your local jail suspending visits due to COVID-19? Send our letter to your sheriff or warden. [[link removed]]
As jails and prisons suspend in-person visits, it's more important than ever to make phone and video calls free so that families can stay in touch. We prepared a template letter [[link removed]] that local advocates can use to demand free calls.
Please support our work [[link removed]]
Our work is made possible by private donations. Can you help us keep going? We can accept tax-deductible gifts online [[link removed]] or via paper checks sent to PO Box 127 Northampton MA 01061. Thank you!
Our other newsletters Ending prison gerrymandering ( archives [[link removed]]) Criminal justice research library ( archives) [[link removed]]
Update which newsletters you get [link removed].
You are receiving this message because you signed up on our website [[link removed]] or you met Peter Wagner or another staff member at an event and asked to be included.
Prison Policy Initiative [[link removed]]
PO Box 127
Northampton, Mass. 01061
Web Version [link removed] Unsubscribe [link removed] Update address / join other newsletters [link removed] Donate [[link removed]] Tweet this newsletter [link removed] Forward this newsletter [link removed]
You are receiving this message because you signed up on our website or you met Peter Wagner or another staff member at an event and asked to be included.
Prison Policy Initiative
PO Box 127 Northampton, Mass. 01061
Web Version [link removed] | Update address [link removed] | Unsubscribe [link removed] | Share via: Twitter [link removed] Facebook [[link removed] Email [link removed]
