Currently the Covid-19 pandemic is spreading rapidly across the UK adding severe pressure on the NHS. They are behind Italy and Spain on the number of doctors and equipment they have to serve and treat patients.  They are working tirelessly day and night and the last thing we want is to further add pressure and exhaust the system. The purpose of this petition is to temporary release vulnerable prisoners, those with underlying health conditions and who would be considered high risk if they were diagnosed with the virus. This petition holds a realistic aim and supports the fact that the temporary release would only be granted case by case, to those who are not deemed a risk to society and to those who would be more vulnerable to the virus. 

There are currently 85 thousand prisoners locked up in UK prisons. Not all of those prisoners are repeat offenders, not all of them are dangerous , not all of those prisoners pose a risk to society, some of them come from damaged backgrounds, some are innocent and have been wrongfully convicted, you will never know unless you go through each prisoner case by case.  Since the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in the UK Prisoners visits have also been stopped. This means prisoners are unable to see their loved ones. Family and friends are unable to see or be in contact with their loved one. Phones are not always accessible, and credit is not always available. To be locked up behind four walls watching the news of the current crisis and not having any comfort or support from a family or friend is absolutely horrific.  There is someone’s husband in there, someone’s father, someone’s son, someone’s brother, grandfather, partner, best friend. It could be one of your family members, someone close to you, it could be you

Please understand that because of the current pandemic many staff members are off ill, many of these prisoners have mental health issues, there are usually one or two nurses in the mental health team if they are off sick during this time who is seeing prisoners in need? The healthcare inside prison is below standards and is not the same as the healthcare provided to the public outside even though it is suggested that they have the same in reality they do not get that same healthcare. They often wait for weeks or months before they are seen by a doctor for their issue. There is poor hygiene in prisons, prisoners have often been seen eating from the bins because they are hungry and do not have money, they are often without basic necessities such as soap and sanitary products. They are often without warm water, the one privilege they have which is exercising in the gym has also been taken away and closed down due to the pandemic. In England many prisons are old Victorian and designed to accommodate one inmate per cell however there are often two people crammed into one cell. They are at extreme risk at this moment in time, prisons have been described by World Health Organisation as breeding grounds for the virus. If it hits it will spread like wildfire. This will increase pressure on the NHS it will also ruin many lives and that will not just be the lives of the prisoners but also those connected to them. We are raised to hate criminals and view them as terrible people but if you are human who believes that humans can change, they can be better people then you need to help in this petition. We all make mistakes and our justice system is based around the idea of rehabilitating and becoming a better person and society and so let’s help each other, lets help ease the pressure on the NHS, lets help the prison staff, officers, the prison healthcare, the prison nurses, governors, the family and friends of prisoners, let’s stick together during this horrible, tough time and let’s get through this. Please sign the petition to have prisoners on temporary release this does not mean they roam around freely, this means they are in the comfort of their own home or in a safer, more hygienic place and are not left completely alone, sign the petition for them to be released temporarily on home detention curfews.
 

Some of the countries who are freeing prisoners early on temporary release during this pandemic are viewed as having barbaric and inhumane regimes and justice systems. Countries who have death penalty are releasing their prisoners on temporary release and so why can’t England release people on home detention curfews? Especially since our system advocates rehabilitation. The countries who have and are still currently releasing prisoners early or temporarily are; Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, United States of America, Brazil, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. In the USA Cleveland and Los Angeles where among the first states to free hundreds of inmates currently New York’s Mayor has announced they will also be releasing prisoners temporarily to help slow down the pandemic. The advice for releasing inmates has come from World Health Organisation and so it should not be ignored. Please be human and sign the petition it could help save many lives.