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.
As of Monday morning, 34 of the jail’s 2,864 inmates were COVID-positive
After administrators at the Portland jail revoked her security clearance, the woman was forced to take a pay cut to work at a different jail, according to a lawsuit
The individual was reportedly immediately isolated and contact tracing is underway
Workers without vaccination proof must adhere to strict face covering requirements and submit to regular testing
Only 42% of custody staffers in state prisons have received at least one dose of the vaccines, the request notes
The state could strengthen the mandate if enough workers don’t get vaccinated
Master Corrections Officer Shannon Browning died on July 23; she was 40
The order covers more than 10,000 people who work for the city and county, as well as private health care and school facilities
While Act 1002 allows DOC facilities to mandate masks, jails operated by local governments cannot
“The rate that this virus has spread in our facility is very alarming to me,” Sheriff Michael Nielsen said
Lt. Russell Freeman died in December from complications of COVID-19
NYSCOPBA President Michael Powers called the move “disheartening”
State workers must show proof of vaccination or submit to regular testing and continue wearing masks
Less than half of ADOC’s more than 24,000 inmates have been vaccinated
77 inmates received shots containing up to six times the recommended dose of the Pfizer vaccine
The sheriff said the first cases appeared among seven members of a jail work crew last week
What law enforcement needs to know about the likelihood of side effects from the vaccine vs. the virus, plus new infection rates
The study looked at crime trends in 11 jurisdictions across the U.S.
“We’re not forcing them into it,” said York County Sheriff Rich Keuerleber
The current prisons are past their useful lifespans and are unsafe for prisoners and staff, says ADOC Commissioner Jeff Dunn
Accounts from staff, inmates detailing major deficiencies in safety protocols were deemed credible
The state has become a virus hotspot again due to the delta variant of COVID-19
“If we can help people change their behavior in the community versus in a jail or prison setting, that’s the goal”
The department anticipates that in-person family visitation will be resumed at all facilities statewide by Oct. 1
The Prison Law Office and other groups are advocating for mandatory prison staff vaccinations nationwide
Officials are considering suspending COVID-19 protocols to clear space for new arrivals
Veteran officer Gabriel Forrest died from complications of COVID-19 on June 17
“We need to begin to allow officers to hold people accountable,” said Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle
Critics were quick to pounce on the program that offers care packages and barbeques to inmates
“We need to make sure that the things we’ve learned after a lot of real human suffering are not in vain,” said an infectious disease expert
We’re seeing “a policy shift which refocuses on reduction of populations and the treatment and opportunities for successful reintegration,” said a NMCD spokesperson
There were still three active positive cases among staff Monday, but employees quarantine at home when infected
The program, which allows extended family visits with inmates, was suspended in March 2020 due to the pandemic
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