I’m sure we have all heard that what we are experiencing at the moment will be in history books for years to come. Grandparents have never seen anything like this. The nation is in panic. The shelves are empty. Life as we once knew it is on pause.
The plans that this pandemic has altered is endless. We are extra conscious about washing our hands and any little symptoms that are around us. The measures we are taking are in the best efforts to flatten the curve. Government officials, doctors, and politicians have released guidelines on what to do to minimize the impact that this virus has on our communities. But there is one area that no one has an answer for.
Prisons.
What should we do?
Do you keep the inmates in prison where the virus spreads like wildfire or do you release prisoners back into the world where there are no jobs or housing during this time of crisis?
At Rikers Island prison in New York City, nearly 100 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. The infection rate in this prison is 7 times higher than that of New York City and 85 times higher than that of the United States. Inmates within the prison feel that they are on death row because of the severity.
These prisons are closed off to the public, so shouldn’t we keep them there? Although inmates are closed off from the public itself, the facilities are not. Prison guards and visitors like brought the virus in, and because of the living conditions, there isn’t much to stop it. Inmates are packed into housing quarters with beds 3 feet apart, there is no hand sanitize or cleaning supplies, and they are in direct contact with prison guards daily. It’s a petri dish for this virus to grow.
For some inmates prison may be the best place for them to be. Closed off to the public and it is a guarantee that they will be quarantined. But what about the inmates who are highly susceptible to the virus? Like a prisoner in the COVID packed state of New Jersey, who is 69 years old with high blood, pressure, asthma, and heart disease. He is a non-violent inmate with a high risk of dying from this virus. If his attorney were to request furlough, that process would take longer than the virus to wash away itself.
The controversy is never ending. Progress is hard to be made when our health and safety is on the line; however, we must not forget about those who do not have a voice to share their worry. We cannot condemn misbehavior; however, we must act fast to grant health to those in jeopardy.
