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“Petri Dishes”: Coronavirus Ravages US Prisons
75% of an Ohio penitentiary have contracted the Coronavirus. The US correctional system is being overwhelmed by surging case counts within prisons. The issue creates a catch-22 for public safety.
More than 1,800 inmates at the Marion Correctional Institution have tested positive for COVID-19, roughly three-quarters of the prisoners housed there. This startling figure is similar to the infection rate on some cruise ships, where trapped passengers had few ways to avoid eventually catching the disease.
In response to the crisis, the prison, like many others, has taken quick action to try to protect the remaining inmates and staff members. All prisoners and staff members are all being tested. This has led to a huge number of recognized asymptomatic cases. However, the problem persists, and the high case count is sure to be followed by a grim death toll.
Cook County Jail: “Petri Dish”
Illinois coronavirus: In Cook County Jail COVID-19 fight, 'social distancing must yield to security concerns' https://t.co/sJ7wdX94Cv pic.twitter.com/f9tatR71Vz
— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) April 21, 2020
When it comes to prison outbreaks, one of the hardest-hit states is Illinois. Specifically, Cook County Jail feels overwhelmed by a surge in cases. To date, four inmates have died, and multiple staff members have been diagnosed.
The jail saw a soaring rate of infections before enacting intense control measures. It released 25% of its inmates to deal with the outbreak, and separated inmates as much as possible. The jail has also received enough masks to provide each prisoner with one per day until mid-June.
Despite new measures to contain the disease, the issue of social distancing in jail is becoming the subject of several lawsuits. The lawsuits, brought by attorneys representing inmates, claim that the jail is not doing enough to protect prisoners form the scourge of COVID-19.
Attorneys for Cook County responded:
“There are instances where social distancing must yield to security concerns (for example, housing certain classifications of detainees, medical concerns, or breaking up fights). An order mandating social distancing would impede the Sheriff's ability to address security and medical issues that may arise.”
Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board president laments the situation but sees it as a difficult one to avoid. “Jails in this country are petri dishes,” he said. “It's very difficult in a jail to maintain social distancing.”
Pandemic in Prison: A Catch-22
Man killed woman hours after his release from prison, authorities say https://t.co/dnZMJ5AE2b #FoxNews
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) December 3, 2018
As the coronavirus outbreak wreaks havoc, enclosed communities become especially vulnerable. Senior living homes, cruise ships with nowhere to port, and prisons, see much higher rates of infections when the virus spreads.
Prisons present a unique challenge, because preventative measures are harder to implement among an enclosed population of dangerous individuals. Social distancing in prisons is nearly impossible for many of our jails. Once the virus reaches high rates of infection, the only way to fully protect elderly prisoners from the hell of coronavirus is to simply release them. Many states have made this exact decision.
In an attempt to humanely handle the situation, many prisons and jails have simply released prisoners, granting them parole or cutting their sentences short. Communities across the nation face a new dilemma. Prisoners face a high health risk within prison walls, but free prisoners pose a public safety risk on the outside.
The effects of the pandemic continue to transcend the immediate public health consequences. This reaches all corners of society from education to the justice system. Time will tell what the release of many thousands of inmates will mean for the country down the line.
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