Risk and implications of COVID‐19 among the community supervised population

Abstract

Research summary Despite growing national awareness that COVID‐19 in jails and prisons constitutes a public health emergency in the United States, remarkably little attention has been paid to understanding how the virus affects people under community supervision. We used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to explore differences in the extent to which men under community supervision are vulnerable to COVID‐19 and have access to care during the pandemic, relative to men who are not involved with the U.S. criminal legal system. Results from this study highlight the greater levels of risk for serious illness or death from COVID‐19 and the disproportionate lack of health insurance among men under community supervision. Policy implications Jurisdictions across the United States are currently relying on decarceration to contain the spread of COVID‐19 in jails and prisons. Decarceration efforts alone, however, are insufficient for addressing the spread of COVID‐19 among people involved with the U.S. criminal legal system. People released from jails and prisons or diverted from incarceration during the pandemic must be given the opportunity to receive the COVID‐19 vaccination upon their transitions. Likewise, individuals under community supervision must be prioritized for immediate vaccination against COVID‐19. People involved with the U.S. criminal legal system should also be eligible for emergency Medicaid during the COVID‐19 crisis, and their health insurance coverage should remain available beyond the pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and operational challenges, impacts, and lessons learned: a multi-methods study of U.S. prison systems”

“…The COVID pandemic has been and continues to be an unprecedented challenge for the American criminal justice system (e.g., Gutierrez & Patterson, 2021 ; Nix et al, 2021 ; Piquero, 2021 ). In response, correctional agencies around the country undertook dynamic changes in the forms and functions of their operations, including implementing social distancing and quarantining, reducing prison populations, and administering viral tests to incarcerated people and staff (Carson & Nadel, 2022 ; Hummer, 2020 ; Novisky et al, 2020 ).…”

COVID, Crime & Criminal Justice: Affirming the Call for System Reform Research

“…Among America's aging correctional population, many have chronic health conditions that, in conjunction with COVID, presented heightened health risks (Carson & Sabol, 2016) which should be weighted in quantitative examinations so as to not overestimate risk for all. Incarcerated individuals are also at a greater risk of transmission in general and Latino and Black inmates are most at risk which is similar to racial inequalities among those supervised in the community (Gutierrez & Patterson, 2021). Upon examination of U.S. probation and parole agent COVID cases between May and June of 2020, for example, Latino and Black individuals on supervision were more likely to test positive or suspect infection compared to Whites (Schwalbe & Koetzle, 2021) and a survey of state correctional facilities found minority males again at an increased risk of chronic illness and even more so for those with longer sentences, repeat incarcerations, and advanced age (Hughes & Prior, 2021).…”

The COVID-19 Pandemic Era Impact on the Incidence of the Custodial Death, Due to Illness in 36 States and Union Territories of India - A Comparison Study (2017–2022)

“…Now COVID-19 is not a global public health emergency of international concern anymore (PHEIC) as per WHO declaration on May 5, 2023 [13]. COVID-19 has been found to impact various organs, and of course the prisoners are more vulnerable if the jails are overloaded [14]. Most of the jails of 36 States/UTs of India are facing issue of over-crowding, increasing vulnerability of prisoners to COVID-19 negative health impacts [15].COVID-19 infections may have a negative impact on prisoner's health outcomes and quality of life with pre-existing morbidities as it may increase the likelihood of complications and custodial death [16].…”