There are currently nearly 2.3 million incarcerated people across the United States.
With COVID-19 reaching more prisons and jails, we need governors to act immediately so that we can protect the lives of people who are currently incarcerated with no way to practice good hygiene or follow CDC guidelines on social distancing, two key elements needed to reduce the spread of the virus. Hospitals throughout the country are already bracing themselves for surges of patients in need of treatment for coronavirus. Steps must be taken now to address a looming crisis in America’s prisons and jails as well as in the larger community where healthcare workers are stretched thin and resources are limited.
The Innocence Project has joined a coalition of 150+ organizations calling on governors to act immediately to help protect people in prisons and jails, correctional staff, and the larger community. Below are a few requests you can also share with your governor's office:
Prioritize the immediate release of the elderly and medically vulnerable, including individuals who are pregnant or who have asthma, chronic illness, lung disease, or heart disease.
Release anyone who is within 18 months of his/her release date.
Ensure that all people released from prison have a transition plan that includes access to housing, medical care and health-related services.
Release all people held on probation and parole technical violation detainers or sentences. Ensure no new jail or prison sentences based on technical violations.
P.S. If you don't live in the U.S. but want to get involved, you can help spread the word by sharing this on Facebook and Twitter. You can also encourage any U.S. residents you know to sign the petition. Thank you for your support!
The Innocence Project exonerates the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. www.innocenceproject.org
