Jails and prisons are breeding grounds for Covid-19. The virus spreads uncontrollably within them, due to crowded conditions, lack of hygiene and sanitation, recirculated air, poor health in general. See @hrw report hrw.org/news/2020/04/2…
1/11
Jails and prisons throughout the country are having deadly outbreaks and people are suffering immeasurably. Marion Correctional Institution in Ohio is one example.
hrw.org/news/2020/05/2…
2/11
Lompoc Federal Prison is another. Cook County Jail, Rikers Island, Terminal Island.
independent.com/2020/06/08/22-…
3/11
The virus spreads in the jails and prisons and in the surrounding communities. hrw.org/news/2020/05/2…
4/11
The only way to control the spread is to drastically lower jail populations, so people inside can spread out and social distance, so there is enough room to do non-punitive quarantine and isolation, and enough capacity to provide health care. Crowded jails = more disease.
5/11
Two months ago, recognizing that Covid 19 was incredibly dangerous in jails, the California Judicial Council issued an order making bail for most lower level offenses $0. This kept more people out of harms way. This was a good thing.
sfchronicle.com/opinion/openfo…
6/11
The $0 bail order kept people from being booked into jails and helped lower the crowds in jails. It wasn't enough, but it helped. And, crime didn't go up. This was a sensible order designed to save lives.
7/11
The Covid-19 pandemic is not over. The virus is still running rampant in California jails. People are sick and suffering. People are dying. latimes.com/california/sto…
8/11
Today, the California Judicial Council voted 17-2 to rescind the $0 bail. This means bail goes back to their old amounts. It means jails will get crowded again. newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/judicial-…
9/11
This means that the virus will spread more in jails, more people will get sick, more people will suffer, more people will die. This was a deliberate decision made by people who understand the consequences and do not care, or who are choosing to be ignorant.
10/11
This is the California judiciary showing who they really are. Not so different from that Minneapolis police officer.
11/11
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