Coast To Coast: Nationwide Response To Covid-19 In Prisons

Nationwide, incarcerated people are dehumanized as they only have a few ways of escaping the dangers of COVID-19. Feeling mistreated, people have put up posters in their cell windows to signal their pain and existence to passersby. Some of these signs read “help no supply no masks” and “help we matter 2.” While incarcerated individuals fear for their safety with little information on and ability to protect themselves, governors are left with the power of how to alleviate such injustice.

The Governor of California, Newsom, commuted 21 people on March 24. Fourteen of these cases pertained to charges of murder or a related charge. Two of the commuted people are children and one of them is a pregnant woman. Some of the other people with commuted sentences include a 75 year old woman who had served 22 years for assaulting a child who died, a 64 year old woman who served 27 years for the deaths of her 3 young children who died in a house fire which she denies setting, and a 50 year old man who served 22 years for a conviction of stabbing his wife which he denies doing.

While these people have been released during the COVID-19 pandemic, their clemency grants were in progress before the outbreak became a pressing issue. Even though Newsom is releasing some people, he said mass release would put too much of a burden on healthcare systems and homelessness programs. This response further dehumanizes incarcerated people as “burdens;” Newsom should support post-incarceration programs so people can be released without overwhelming such institutions.

At risk people are not given enough attention in terms of clemency grants. The only people who have been granted clemency in California during this pandemic are people who had lawyers working on their behalf prior to the outbreak. Newsom has stopped prison transfer for thirty days as a means of stopping the spread of COVID-19, but such a change isn’t significant enough to protect incarcerated individuals; they must be released.

The Governor of New Mexico, Grisham, ordered early release of incarcerated individuals with thirty days or less in their sentence. While this is an important decision and means of clearing up the prison system, at risk people with over thirty days also need help and immediate attention.

On April 2, the Governor of Kentucky, Beshear, announced an executive order to commute the sentence of over 900 inmates, but they have not yet been released. Such a bold statement has to be followed with immediate action; people’s lives and security are at risk. Not only do ill incarcerated people spread COVID-19 to other prisoners, but they also spread it to prison workers who may then spread it to others they come in contact with outside the prison walls.

On April 7, the Governor of Arizona, Ducey, signed the commutation papers of 3 out of the 5 people that the Board of Executive Clemency approved based on imminent death. One of these people whom he released died the day after returning home. Governors cannot wait until it is incarcerated people’s last days alive to release them. People must be released with enough time to seek medical attention and have a just chance of recovery.

And while New York is an exceptionally dangerous place for incarcerated people due to the high numbers of people falling ill to COVID-19, Governor Cuomo has yet to commute anyone’s sentences. Rikers Island, located in the Bronx, had its first COVID-19-related death on April eighth: Michael Tyson, a 53 year old man with underlying health conditions and an alleged parole violation. He was one in over 700 people at Rikers to test positive for COVID-19; Rikers is reported to have the highest infection rate in the WORLD. Additionally, 75% of people at Rikers haven’t even been convicted of a crime. Governors should, at least temporarily, release at risk people who have yet to be convicted.

While I understand that governors have an overwhelming amount of conflicts to alleviate amid the pandemic, addressing prison and jail injustices should be a priority. Although often overlooked, there are real human beings locked behind these bars. They deserve help and a voice...before it’s too late.