A New Study Reveals the Alarming Impact of COVID-19 on Incarcerated Individuals
A recent study has brought to light the disproportionate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on incarcerated individuals, particularly within US prisons. The study found that there was a shocking 77% increase in mortality rates within US prisons during the year 2020. This increase is more than three times higher than the rise observed in the general population during the same period.
An Unprecedented Surge
The comprehensive analysis, published in Science Advances and reported by The Guardian, sheds light on the unprecedented surge in mortality rates within prisons compared to previous years. The report attributed COVID-19 as the primary driver for the increase in mortality due to natural causes, with some states also experiencing substantial increases due to unnatural causes.
Data Source
The study draws data from 49 states and federal departments of corrections to compile a thorough understanding of the impact of COVID-19 within prisons. Lead author Naomi Sugie, an associate professor of criminology, law, and society at the University of California at Irvine, emphasized the importance of understanding the actual toll of COVID-19 through their PrisonPandemic project, which documented the dire conditions and violations of health and human rights experienced by individuals in California prisons during lockdowns.
Human Toll and Mental Health Challenges
The study’s findings extend beyond the direct impact of COVID-19 and reveal systemic failures in recording and transparency at prisons during lockdowns. The authors highlighted the lack of publicly available information about mortality in US prisons since 2019, despite the Death in Custody Reporting Act passed in 2000. Additionally, the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that roughly 2,500 prisoners died of COVID-related causes between March 2020 and February 2021, without accounting for the rise in mortality rates of natural or unnatural causes. Sugie emphasized the lack of systematic testing in some states, leading to potential underreporting of COVID-related deaths.
(With inputs from agencies)
