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Covid19 Resources

Use the search box and filters to find resources related to Covid-19 in prisons.

To share new resources, publications, pages or any other relevant information please email Alex Petrov alexpetrov@icpa.org

Found 18 Results
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United States Bureau of Prisons’ Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Published By: Victims & Offenders - An International Journal of Evidence-based Research, Policy, and Practice
November 3, 2020

As the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) spread across the United States in spring 2020, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) made the startling announcement that of its 2,700 initial screenings of inmates for the virus, 2,000 had tested positive – an astounding 70% positivity rate. It is obvious to assume that prisons and jails would be locations of outbreaks and rapid community spread given the close quarters, limited access to preventive methods, and movement of both inmates and staff in and out of facilities. Yet, the speed of early transmission through the federal prison system led to questions of whether the BOP was adequately prepared to handle a contagion such as COVID -19, and if the steps that have ultimately been taken (such as moving inmates from prison to community using existing release mechanisms, suspending visitation, and increased screening of both inmates and staff) are sufficient to minimize new infections throughout the system. This article describes and assesses the BOP’s COVID-19 mitigation strategies, details treatment programming challenges during the pandemic, and offers suggestions for future infectious disease outbreak response.

COVID-19 and Corrections in Australia: A Summary Review of the Available Data and Literature

Published By: Victims & Offenders - An International Journal of Evidence-based Research, Policy, and Practice
November 3, 2020

In March 2020, COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic and at the time of writing, there were more than 13 million known cases and more than 500,000 deaths. Not since the Spanish Flu of 1918 has the world needed to respond to the potential threat of a communicable disease with such a high rate of infection and fatality. Using publicly available data, media sources, and literature, this paper maps Australian corrective services’ responses to COVID-19. We find evidence of a concerted effort to reduce prison population numbers, as well as to recalibrate corrections practice in an effort to meet new social-distancing rules and regulations. Our analysis is motivated by the knowledge that prior to COVID-19, Australia had a rising prison population, a disproportionate growth in female and remand populations, and significant Indigenous overrepresentation. In this paper, we explore whether the immediate benefits of COVID-19 have helped or hindered efforts to address these wider concerns.

Institutional Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic in American Prisons

Published By: Victims & Offenders - An International Journal of Evidence-based Research, Policy, and Practice
November 3, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic infiltrated the United States in early 2020, with correctional facilities becoming hot spots for the novel coronavirus shortly thereafter. Using data gathered from Departments of Corrections’ official websites, we provide a summary of state and federal prison system responses to COVID-19 as of June 2020. We highlight strengths and deficiencies in system responses as well as pertinent variations across jurisdictions. We conclude with a call for scholars and grant funders to prioritize incarceration-based data collection efforts on COVID-19 so the short and long-term consequences of the pandemic, and systemic responses to it, can be more fully assessed.

Telematic Control and Semi-Freedom as a Response to the Pandemic: The Spanish Penitentiary System Experience

Published By: Victims & Offenders - An International Journal of Evidence-based Research, Policy, and Practice
November 3, 2020

In response to the pandemic that started in early 2020, prison systems around the world have adopted various strategies to prevent the spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). In Spain, the main strategy used by the State Penitentiary Administration against the pandemic has focused on the use of the “third degree” of prison or “semi-freedom” with telematic control (or electronic monitoring, as it is better known in the rest of the world). While in closed prisons the main measures to manage the pandemic have been focused on avoiding contact with outside, in open prisons inmates who could have introduced the virus into prison facilities due to their semi-freedom have been released and sent “home,” in order to prevent the spread of the virus. The author analyzes the data provided by the Spanish prison statistics during the pandemic, illustrating the evolution of the numbers of convicts classified in “open regime” and under electronic monitoring. At the same time, the author highlights some of the ethical and public security implications that might be posed by the quasi-massive release supported by the expansion in the use of open regime with telematic control, and some recommendations thereon are proposed.

The Response to the COVID19 Crisis by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

Published By: Victims & Offenders - An International Journal of Evidence-based Research, Policy, and Practice
November 3, 2020

The article is an overview of mitigation efforts and outcomes from a six month timeframe of managing COVID19 at the PA Department of Corrections.

Correctional System’s Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic and Its Implications for Prison Reform in China

Published By: Victims & Offenders - An International Journal of Evidence-based Research, Policy, and Practice
November 3, 2020

Large outbreaks of coronavirus infections occurred in several prisons in China in February 2020. Since then, the authorities on the national and local levels have introduced a series of measures to prevent more COVID-19 infections in correctional institutions. This article reviews those strategies and explores their ties to past prison reforms and their potential influences on future directions. First, it provides an overview of the changes in prison management and operation that foreshadowed some of China’s approaches to COVID-19 in the prison system. Second, it examines the strategies undertaken by the prison system to stop the spread of COVID-19. Finally, the article discusses the implications of the COVID-19 response for prison reforms and the challenges the Chinese prison system faces in its continuous efforts to contain COVID-19.

A Case Study of the Westchester County New York’s Jail Response to COVID-19: Controlling COVID while Balancing Service Needs for the Incarcerated-A National Model for Jails

Published By: Victims & Offenders - An International Journal of Evidence-based Research, Policy, and Practice
November 3, 2020

Controlling COVID rates, which initially soared within New York State, proved to be more challenging for correctional institutions, which were tasked with trying to protect a captive population. This article profiles the Westchester County Department of Correction (WCDOC), a county jail located 20 miles north of Manhattan; it is the second-largest jail in New York State. By employing a multitude of modalities, the WCDOC was able to lower their COVID-19 rates significantly, while simultaneously providing medical, mental health, drug treatment, and court-related services. By leveraging the use of technology and employing innovative policies for prisoners and staff, the WCDOC can serve as a model for other correctional institutions.

Correctional Service Canada: Shaping the new normal

Published By: Correctional Service Canada
Canada
September 4, 2020

CSC’s Risk Management Framework “Shaping the New Normal”

Community Corrections COVID-Safe Roadmap

Published By: Corrective Services New South Wales/New South Wales Government
Australia
August 13, 2020

This Community Corrections COVID-Safe Roadmap will support Community Corrections through COVID-19 recovery and beyond. This is the framework for the development of local implementation plans that will detail how each office and centre will sustain improvements in service delivery and performance while ensuring staff safety and well-being.

CSC: Update on COVID-19 – June 25, 2020

Published By: Correctional Service Canada
Canada
June 25, 2020

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has developed a visual placemat, which provides an overview and update on COVID-19 (as of June 25, 2020). It provides a snapshot of efforts and progress, and shows that all outbreaks in CSC’s institutions have been declared over.

Spreadsheet model of CoV-SARS-2 transmission within prison settings

Published By: Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales
Australia
June 15, 2020

The model of COVID-19 in prisons is contained in the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet COVID-19_Incarceration_Model-v1.0.xlsx. This spreadsheet model builds on the spreadsheet developed by Recidiviz (original spreadsheet model available here. It was developed with funding from Corrective Services NSW and Justice and Forensic Mental Health Network. The aim of the model is track an outbreak of COVID-19 in a prison setting and the potential impact of prevention strategies and interventions. The main directory contains a blank spreadsheet model ready for use. Example spreadsheets with inputs and outputs are available in the Examples\ directory. A short manual COVID-Incarceration-Manual.docx provides further user instructions and details of the interventions incorporated into the model.

HMPPS: Probation Roadmap to Recovery

Published By: HMPPS
United Kingdom
June 12, 2020

In response to the threat of COVID-19, Probation had to respond swiftly to overcome the extraordinary challenges faced as a service and significantly adapt HMPPS's ways of working.

HMPPS: COVID-19 – National Framework for Prison Regimes and Services

Published By: HMPPS
United Kingdom
June 12, 2020

This document provides a conditional roadmap for what the easing of restrictions will mean in practice. It is a summary of how prisons will operate while COVID-19 remains a threat but where the most severe restrictions on prison regimes are no longer proportionate or sustainable, or where the threat can be mitigated via alternative approaches. It sets out what we are trying to achieve, the core principles and the governance and assurance processes involved. This forms part of HMPPS's medium-term plan, and is supported by Exceptional Delivery Models (EDMs) and other more detailed guidance on the specific areas of policy involved.

Recovery Commencement Plan

Published By: Queensland Government and Queensland Corrective Services
Australia
June 5, 2020

Queensland Government Roadmap to easing Queensland’s restrictions, and Queensland Corrective Services Recovery Commencement Plan principles.

The psychological needs of healthcare staff as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic

Published By: British Psychological Society
United Kingdom
May 28, 2020

This is a guide for leaders and managers of healthcare services who will need to consider the wellbeing needs of all healthcare staff (clinical and non-clinical) as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak. It offers practical recommendations for how to respond at individual, management and organisational level involving the appropriate utilisation of expertise within their practitioner psychologist and mental health professionals and anticipates the psychological reactions over time, and what people may need to recovery psychologically from this.

Recidiviz COVID–19 Incarceration Model

Published By: Recidiviz
May 21, 2020

Recidiviz Covid-19 Incarceration model in Excel format. This is an interactive model to allow criminal justice leaders and their staff to project the likely impact of COVID-19 within facilities. Choose your state on the 'Inputs' tab to pre-populate this model with data from your state, or complete all of the gray boxes on that tab to make the model more nuanced. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, first check the FAQ tab. If you still have a question, reach out to covid@recidiviz.org.

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections – Demobilization Plan COVID-19: Inmate Movement

Published By: Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
USA
May 20, 2020

Demobilization Plan COVID-19: Inmate Movement

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections – Demobilization Plan COVID-19: Staff Movement

Published By: Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
USA
May 20, 2020

Demobilization Plan COVID-19: Staff Movement

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