Jail is a punishment, right? Well, 70% of people currently held in local jails are not there because of a conviction; they’re there because they cannot afford bail while awaiting their next court hearing.

Can I have a few to discuss jails and covid? A #CriminalJustice thread.

Our local jails provide the perfect conditions for the spread of infectious diseases, like the coronavirus, because physical distancing is impossible inside, and inmates and staff routinely enter and leave, potentially exposing others in the community.

This is a pretty typical setup for a jail day room. This is where inmates spend much of their time. As you can see, there’s no real way to distance yourself from others.

Depending on the facility, inmates spend lockdown hours in cells that hold two to four inmates. Larger facilities often use a dormitory setting where dozens or inmates are locked in together. Again, it’s impossible to distance yourself from others.

Back to the 70% of people locked up not because of a conviction, but because they’re waiting for court. If they make bond, they’re released into the community after likely being in close contact with the virus. If they don’t bond out, their risk of exposure is elevated each day.

Then there are the corrections officers and jail medical staff members. Each day, they’re in close contact with people who may have the virus. And each day, they go home to their families. They shop in local stores. They get food from local restaurants.

Of course, if someone is accused of a crime like murder, there’s a strong case to be made foe locking them up until trial. But our jails are packed with people charged with drug crimes and other nonviolent offenses.

By locking nonviolent offenders up in jails, we’re risking their lives and punishing them for their addiction. We’re also endangering the lives of jail staff, and everyone in the community.

That’s it. That’s my Saturday rant. Thank you for reading this far.