The coronavirus, known to the Center for Disease Control as COVID-19, is spreading and temporarily has a precedent in countries around the world. While not unusual strains of flu are to blame for tens of thousands of deaths each year, the coronavirus is having a profound effect on our social interactions. Countries, including the United States, are taking steps to prevent the spread of the disease, and the White House hosts daily briefings and events similar to the administration’s efforts. These outbreaks are even harder to detect. manage in closed environments, such as prisons. So what’s the plan?
The inmates live in close proximity to each other. In federal criminal camps, inmates are housed in an open dormitory divided into two-person housing, similar in length to offices. . . with the exception of the concrete walls. Each cabin has a bunk bed, a desk/chair (usually bolted to the floor), and two lockers. Outbreaks of flu and abdominal viruses are a constant fear in this population, which also has sinks and showers. “People in jails can’t quarantine and staff still don’t have the option to stay in contact with one or both inmates, regardless of their physical condition,” Jack Donson, a former BOP case specialist, told me.
The BOP has a popular protocol for handling the common flu, adding reminders to everyone, staff and inmates, to wash their hands and avoid shaking hands. It should be noted that shaking hands is an integral component of inmate programs, where inmates are taught how to socialize. interaction skills, which are expected to serve them well beyond prison.
Sick inmates would possibly be grouped together in combination with other inmates who have the flu to prevent it from spreading within criminal walls. Inmates have limited spaces in which they can move around and can also be fed in a separate area. This can be an even more confined environment. If some inmates develop a high fever or symptoms that institutions cannot treat, they are transferred to local hospitals.
When inmates are transferred to local gyms, families can be informed that the client is being treated outside the prison, but family visits to the hospital are typically not allowed, according to Donson. Families, who already get little information about their incarcerated loved ones, would likely have even less communication if hospitalization becomes a reality. In a hospital, there is no e-mail for inmates (Corrlinks), no secure phone service, and no way to get mail.
In 2017, the Federal Bureau of Prisons dealt with another outbreak that triggered a national health alert: the Zika virus. Zika is a virus that is spread primarily through the bite of an inflamed mosquito. The BOP’s main fear is that pregnant inmates could transmit the virus. to their unborn fetuses, causing birth defects.
However, hysteria is developing around the coronavirus, which is especially problematic for criminals. “The BOP has been understaffed for years and it is of the utmost importance to keep the others incarcerated quiet,” Donson said. In any criminal field, where more than 16% of all federal criminals are detained, there are fewer than a handful of criminal officers supervising a bunch of inmates. Many criminal administrators, in addition to secretaries, health officials, and educators, also serve as criminal officials. The inmates, as well as the general public, watch the news on the networks and see the disorders that the country faces in controlling the epidemic. “They’re as scared as anyone of what’s going to happen,” Donson observed, “and when there’s nowhere else to go, it’s likely to cause anxiety. “
Every federal criminal has a contingency plan in case of an emergency. As coronavirus concerns spread ahead of actual infection, it is highly likely that the BOP is in the process of establishing a protocol to manage this crisis. “The BOP has procedures in place to deal with the utmost emergencies,” Donson said, “but implementing them is a challenge for giant government organizations, especially the BDP. “
In a federal crime camp, some inmates have direct contact with the community, even going so far as to run errands with criminal personnel. “In the event of a coronavirus outbreak in a criminal,” Donson said, “the criminal will most likely stop all interaction with the community. “
The considerations would not be limited to inmates. Prison staff, concerned about their own safety, may simply be absent from work, creating a staffing shortage in a tense situation. If an outbreak were to occur, in case of ill health, inmates would be transferred to hospitals or remedial centers that needed even more staff for supervision. The challenge could be exacerbated if there were labor shortages and increased demand for supervision. ” The BOP wants to have a crisis plan that goes beyond what the general protocol is here,” Donson said.
Iran has reportedly taken drastic measures to prevent coronavirus infection in prisons as the government released more than five thousand prisoners. Those released had to have a negative test for the virus, have less than five years of service and post bail. Lately, there are more than 17,500 federal inmates eagerly awaiting how the BOP handles this approaching crisis.