Covid has claimed more than 2,700 lives behind bars and infected 1 out of every 3 people in prison, a report from the Prison Policy Initiative rated prisons’ responses in fall 2021
Prison Policy Initiative assessed departments of corrections across the United States on the following criteria: their ability to limit the number of people in prison, reduce infection and death rates, vaccinate the population, and provide basic necessities of health.
Above all states, New Jersey received the highest rating for its ability to meet the criteria.
Following behind New Jersey is California due to their heightened efforts of providing vaccinations, extending state offerings of free calls and dismissing medical co-pays.
Despite the composite scores, there were a few states who excelled in a single category.
North Dakota, New Jersey, and Oregon all received high scores for providing vaccinations.
New Jersey, Connecticut and Illinois all reduced their prison populations.
Read the whole study here.
Above: A graphic depicting the impact of covid on incarcerated people.
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Design Contributor for The Des, current undergraduate of design and political science at the University of Washington.
