Incarceration and COVID-19: Recommendations to Curb COVID-19 Disease Transmission in Prison Facilities and Surrounding Communities

Abstract

Overcrowding can increase the risk of disease transmission, such as that of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), within United States prisons. The number of COVID-19 cases among prisoners is higher than that among the general public, and this disparity is further increased for prisoners of color. This report uses the example case of the COVID-19 pandemic to observe prison conditions and preventive efforts, address racial disparities for people of color, and guide structural improvements for sustaining inmate health during a pandemic in four select states: California, New York, Illinois, and Florida. To curb the further spread of COVID-19 among prisoners and their communities, safe public health practices must be implemented including providing personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing of staff and inmates, disseminating culturally and language appropriate information regarding the pandemic and preventive precautions, introducing social distancing measures, and ensuring adequate resources to safely reintegrate released prisoners into their communities.

The impact of COVID-19 on the treatment of opioid use disorder in carceral facilities: a cross-sectional study

“…Consistent with recommendations for reducing disease transmission (Natoli et al, 2021) and effective COVID-19 prevention strategies identified in a recent systematic review (Esposito et al, 2022), EXIT-CJS study sites implemented a variety of policies to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including change in movement policies, elimination of in-person visitations, and a reduction in face-to-face medical visits. These policies impacted models of care for individuals with OUD, and additionally affected ongoing research in both carceral and community settings.…”

“…Coupled with economic challenges and job losses, community programs providing housing resources in the US experienced an increased demand for services (Pixley et al, 2021). In addition to demands on community services due to COVID-19, re-entry support systems may be overburdened due to moderately increased numbers of incarcerated persons being released into the community because of COVID-19 (Natoli et al, 2021;Prison Policy Initiative, 2022). Employment and housing are critical to successful reintegration into the community (Shinkfield & Graffam, 2009).…”

Control of a COVID-19 Outbreak in a Spanish Prison: Lessons Learned in Outbreak Control

“…In many countries, responsibility for the provision of health care in prisons lies with the Ministry of Justice or the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Health, which is why coordination and collaboration between the health and justice sectors is necessary to protect the health of people in prisons and thus reduce the disparities and health inequities experienced by prisoners in facing future outbreaks of COVID-19 in a carceral setting ( 26 ).…”

Conditions of Confinement in U.S. Carceral Facilities during COVID-19: Individuals Speak: Incarcerated during the COVID-19 Epidemic (INSIDE)

“…Our findings support recommendations from public health professionals and advocacy groups to reform crisis responses strategies by centering (1) population decompression, (2) improvement of living conditions through external oversight, and (3) incorporation of input from incarcerated people and their families. 27,28 Importantly, the American Public Health Association has called for wide-spread population decompression due to the well-documented harms associated with incarceration which have only been exacerbated by the pandemic. 27 Their comprehensive recommendations include use of diversion programs, sentencing, misdemeanor and bail reform.…”