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1 in 5 prisoners in the US has had COVID-19, 1,700 have died:
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — One in every five state and federal prisoners in the United States has tested positive for the coronavirus, a rate more than four times as high as the general population. In some states, more than half of prisoners have been infected, according to data collected by The Associated Press and The Marshall Project.
As the pandemic enters its 10th month — and as the first Americans begin to receive a long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine — at least 275,000 prisoners have been infected, more than 1,700 have died and the spread of the virus behind bars shows no sign of slowing. New cases in prisons this week reached their highest level since testing began in the spring, far outstripping previous peaks in April and August.
[...] "That number is a vast undercount," said Homer Venters, the former chief medical officer at New York's Rikers Island jail complex.
Venters has conducted more than a dozen court-ordered COVID-19 prison inspections around the country. "I still encounter prisons and jails where, when people get sick, not only are they not tested but they don't receive care. So they get much sicker than need be," he said.
[...] From the earliest days of the pandemic, public health experts called for widespread prison releases as the best way to curb virus spread behind bars. In October, the National Academies of Science, Medicine, and Engineering released a report urging states to empty their prisons of anyone who was medically vulnerable, nearing the end of their sentence or of low risk to public safety.
But releases have been slow and uneven. In the first three months of the pandemic, more than 10,000 federal prisoners applied for compassionate release. Wardens denied or did not respond to almost all those requests, approving only 156 — less than 2%.
[...] As the country heads into winter with virus infections on the rise, experts caution that unless COVID-19 is brought under control behind bars, the country will not get it under control in the population at large.
"If we are going to end this pandemic — bring down infection rates, bring down death rates, bring down ICU occupancy rates — we have to address infection rates in correctional facilities," said Emily Wang, professor at Yale School of Medicine and co-author of the recent National Academies report.
"Infections and deaths are extraordinarily high. These are wards of the state, and we have to contend with it."
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Codesmith on Tuesday December 22 2020, @05:23PM (2 children)
Ah, I was wondering when Runaway would crawl out from under his rock, and like dog shit on my boulevard, here he is!
I am not on you g*d-damned lawn, OK?
Lets take a look at a quick list of the issues:
1. The US justice system regularly wrongfully convicts people and sends them to prison.
2. The system is supposed to have a proportionate penalty for the crime. If you're going to include life threatening illnesses, then the judge should include that in the calculation.
3. The US system dumps former prisoners out the door with no support and expects them to somehow survive without saving, income or even housing. Your government paid out paltry amounts to it's citizens for COVID support, and you're surprised former convicts start stealing?
4. Former convicts are not assisted in re-entering society.
Then we can look at your list of examples. I'm going to ignore the one from India, because it has nothing to do with the US. I'm ignoring the one about shootings in Chicago, because it has nothing to do with the matter being discussed. We are left with two former inmates that have committed notable crimes, but seeing as one had less than 90 days to serve and the other was being held for drug possession charges (and has been charged, but not convicted). Not sure what either of these had to do with COVID releases.
All of the rest are related to New York releasing a bunch of inmates. Now I know that New York City is a current target for the GPO daily Two-Minute Hate, but the sheer population of the city and the incredibly abusive penal system carry as much weight as 'criminals gonna criminal'. You've got released inmates stealing clothing and food. Does this not suggest that there is a larger problem that needs to be addressed?
Now I know it's hard to grow a sense of empathy when you don't have one currently, but I would suggest it. Expanding your education might help, but based on our previous interactions, I don't think you would consider that.
Last but not least, wishing life-threatening or life-altering illness on somebody is just disgusting. It would be similar to someone wishing cancer on you. I may think you're a thickheaded buffoon, but there is no way in hell I would wish illness or death upon you.
Pro utilitate hominum.
(Score: 4, Touché) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday December 22 2020, @07:12PM
Maybe you skimmed over this bit:
What I'm bitching about is, New York led the country in freeing convicts. New York leads in percentage of increase in violent crime this year. New York freed truckloads of VIOLENT criminals, and now wonders why all the violence.
I really don't care about the pandemic. Dangerous people were taken off the streets, in many cases, because they were dangerous. The pandemic makes no difference, they are still demonstrably dangerous. You don't give them walking papers to prey on people who are probably more helpless today, than they were before the pandemic.
So, a serial rapist gets COVID, and dies in prison. Who, really, gives the smallest fuck? He won't be raping any more women. Some gang banger gets COVID, and dies in prison. Again - I'm sure his Mama gives a fuck. Me?
Want empathy? Well, it's hard to work up any real empathy for people who have none of their own. At best, I can feel sorry that the damned fools wasted their entire lives before dying in prison.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 1) by idetuxs on Wednesday December 23 2020, @05:18PM
Everything you said seems like should be addressed but ultimately those are long term solutions. Wouldn't you agree that releasing someone because COVID exists would set a precedent that everyone could get out because of that? Looks like your main problem is the US justice system and because of the other comments I read, private prisons (which I guess are financially supported by the goverment?)
As I mentioned in another comment, I don't live in the US, but I would strongly be against releasing prisoners for that reason as It happened here and went very bad.
What I think is uncalled for from your argument is the lack of empathy; empathy goes both ways and the victims have rights too you know? Releasing a child rapist because it might die of covid is a totally lack of empathy for the victims; these prisoners are going to go to their home and what are the chances that their victim lives near-by or on the same house? Murderers dind't have empathy for their victims IMO, so you should't have empathy for them now, which doens't mean that they don't have rights, they do but not to get out of jail because covid. So it's not that simple.
What I mean is you have a point, Runaway have a point but lack of empathy is the worst of arguments.
Other argument I don't find compelling is the following: "If you're going to include life threatening illnesses, then the judge should include that in the calculation." Everyone is exposed to this condition, in and out of prison.