Federal prison conditions are a public health hazard, putting people and the economy at risk. COVID-19 safety protocols, such as social distancing and rigorous hygiene, are impossible to follow due to overcrowding and limited space. These conditions increase the risk of exposure -- and transmission -- for inmates, staff, and the public. With increased transmission, there are increased financial pressures on the prison system, healthcare system, and the larger economy. We urge you to direct the Bureau of Prisons to immediately release inmates who have a minimum Recidivism Risk Level assessment and limited time remaining on their sentences; if need be, they could be placed on home confinement via GPS monitoring and could shelter in place.
Why is this important?
Like people across the U.S., I have a loved one who is incarcerated in federal prison. We miss him. And with the spread of COVID-19, we worry. Whatever view you have of prisons, no one should be sentenced to die from COVID-19.
Our loved one, like other inmates, can't practice COVID-19 safety protocols, such as social distancing, regular hand washing, and rigorous hygiene. He shares a cell that is 7 X 8 feet, with bunk bed and lockers taking up much of that space. In his unit, 130 people share 6 showers, 4 toilets, 4 urinals, and 9 bathroom sinks.
When prisoners' risk of exposure increases, so do the risks for staff, who come and go from the prison, and the wider community who interacts with those staff. Financial pressures also increase for families, prisons, the healthcare system, and the economy at large. Because of these credible risks, state and county facilities, as well as correctional institutions in other countries, are reducing their prison populations.
It's time for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to do the same. Please tell our U.S. Senators and Representatives to direct the BOP to adopt comprehensive safety protocols immediately. The protocols should release inmates who have limited time remaining on their sentences and have a minimum Recidivism Risk Level assessment; if need be, they could be placed on home confinement via GPS monitoring and could shelter in place.
Bringing inmates, like our loved one, home right now would reduce the risks to everyone. It would also bring our family together during this stressful time. In times like these, we need each other. Will you sign this petition and help us all?
How it will be delivered
We will email the signatures to all US Senators and Representatives, beginning with those who have federal prisons in their states.
