Newsbrief: A reduction in the incarcerated population & lowering the risk of COVID-19
by Quinn Schoff
As the Coronavirus, COVID-19, continues to spread around the United States and the world, concerns have been raised about how the virus will impact the United States’ nearly 2.3 million incarcerated people, according to The North Star .
Some activist groups are calling on local, state and federal officials to reduce their incarcerated populations, put measures into place to protect those who are incarcerated and ask for the immediate release of those who are most vulnerable to the virus.
The Los Angeles county sheriff has moved 600 people from the jail population and is calling for a reduction in arrests. In response, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California (ACLU) was happy with the 600 who were released but said it wasn’t enough, calling on the sheriff’s department to release, “any & all individuals whose release will not pose a serious physical safety risk to the community.”
(Photo: AP/ Seth Wenig, File)
The ACLU is also urging police departments to stop arresting individuals for minor offenses and to issue ticketsinstead. Prosecutors are advised to avoid cash bail requests, and instead move for release in all pretrial cases, except where it is absolutely necessary. Judges are encouraged to allow anyone with an open criminal case to voluntarily wave the hearing, or conduct a video conference.
Prosecutors in more than two dozen jurisdictions have also called for jails and prisons to release numerous groups of individuals, to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
In a joint statement, 31 prosecutors listed recommendations for reducing the incarcerated population according The San Fransisco Chronicle. Some of those recommendations include releasing the elderly and those who cannot make bail, prosecutors also called for a reduction in immigrant detention populations.
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J1 student Quinn Schoff volunteered to write this newsbrief out of a belief that FPU students deserve good journalism in this time of crisis.
