We, the Families and Friends of inmates housed in the Santa Rita County Jail, are concerned about the lack of COVID-19 prevention protocol as prescribed by the CDC to prevent the spread of this sometimes deadly disease. Exposure to the COVID-19 virus has the potential to cause serious harm and even death. Some effects of COVID-19 can carry on for an indeterminant amount of time which can in fact cause future harm to the inmate as defined by State Law.

Inmates are not able to socially distance because of the amount of people housed in the Unit. Prior to recent events, inmates were not provided with face masks, nor were they provided with hand sanitizer. Shared facilities were not routinely cleaned or sanitized. 

We assert that the OMISSION of basic means to prevent transmission of this highly contagious disease is a violation or the 8th amendment which protects the inmates from cruel and unusual punishment. Because of the inadequate measures to prevent transmission, inmates have been exposed to an unreasonable risk of serious harm. The law provides that exposure to infectious disease can continue a serious deprivation and that officials cannot be deliberately indifferent to such risk.

We MUST provide the basic safety measure recommended by the CDC for this vulnerable population. Each individual should be afforded the basic supplies that will allow them to remain healthy in crowded conditions. Current conditions reflect an constitutionally unacceptable level of risk.