Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has profoundly impacted correctional facilities, requiring significant adaptations to protect the health of inmates, staff, and visitors. This section offers articles that examine the response to the COVID-19 pandemic within correctional systems, including containment strategies, vaccination efforts, and the long-term implications for prison health care. Understanding the effects of COVID-19 on correctional operations is essential for professionals navigating this ongoing public health challenge. For related information, explore resources on Correctional Healthcare.
The state has fired 12 DOC employees so far
“We will do everything we can to fight this,” said union president Benny Boscio
“It sounds like it’s about the money, but this is a token of appreciation,” said Ginny Ligi, a correctional officer who contracted COVID-19 last year
The mask requirement will apply across the board, regardless of whether a facility has been touched by COVID-19
Officials said nearly 100 corrections officers have been tested through test sites for first responders
Tracking the coronavirus-related deaths of U.S. corrections officers and personnel
State lawyers argue that a large release would hamper programs to help the homeless and burden hospitals
The FY 2020 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program has total funds available of $850,000,000
Bernard Waddell Sr., 56, was a 28-year veteran correctional officer at the Hudson County jail
The complaint, which was filed by Lt. Mark Hasz, says COs at Lewis Prison were told they couldn’t bring in or wear their own PPE
Mayor Gene Paul said he thinks the federal government should have acted sooner to clamp down on the spread of COVID-19
Coyote Ridge Corrections Center inmates are able to make 500 hospitals gowns daily and hope to increase that to 2,100
Officers will be permitted to wear either the N95 respirator mask or surgical-type mask in prisons
PSOB releases statement underscoring the need to prove on-the-job exposure
Calif. Sheriff Don Barnes addresses current issues regarding custodial operations in jails as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik said the state didn’t suspend inmate transfers quickly enough, a move correctional officers called for weeks ago
More than 30 correctional administrators and rights advocates called for the release of vulnerable youth and for the stoppage of new admissions
The directive, issued by Bureau of Prisons director Michael Carvajal, takes effect April 1 and will last for at least 14 days
The man, who’s the state’s first DOC employee to die of COVID-19, was a corrections transportation officer in Detroit
The wives of correctional officers speak up about the dangers their families now face
The lawsuit claims that the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has failed to put in place the necessary infection control policies and practices at a geriatric prison
Rogers County Jail has stations set up in both ends of the jail for officers to grab PPE and decontaminate; inmates have been given extra soap and hand sanitizer
NYSCOPBA president Michael Powers called on the governor to make “employee safety a priority” and allow “all staff members the ability to use basic PPE”
Advocates say protecting inmates from infection will also help protect correctional staff who go home to their families each night
Officials said they agree on the premise of breaks and fresh air, but they do not want COs leaving the facility
We answer some commonly asked questions about COVID-19 transmission and testing
The CO, who has minimal interaction with inmates, went home after notifying a warden that he was not feeling well
Criminal justice leaders in the city have been working to free inmates early and detain only the most dangerous people in response to the pandemic
Officials have reduced jail populations by hundreds, though the state DOC is slower in approving releases
The document was written to protect the health and safety of staff, inmates and visitors
Inmate Patrick Jones, 49, started complaining of a persistent cough; officials said he had long-term, pre-existing medical conditions
Decisive action by governors and the President now can save lives – of incarcerated people, correctional and medical personnel, and nearby community members
San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore has introduced a series of procedures to confront the novel coronavirus, including regular cleaning and disinfecting of the jails
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