Public health officials, the CDC, and WHO have explained the importance of social distancing, isolation, and quarantine in order to “flatten the curve” of the COVID-19, or coronavirus, pandemic. Unfortunately, the fact that local jails and prisons are “amplifiers of infectious diseases” is often left out of virus planning.

From Douglas Berman of the Ohio State University Drug Enforcement and Policy Center: "Criminal justice and public health experts have known for some time now that it was only a matter of time before the coronavirus epidemic made its way to prisons and jails.  Here are just some headlines I have seen showing surely just some of the locations where these issues are very real right now."

We need to act NOW to reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities to mitigate the risk of outbreaks and protect one of our most vulnerable communities.