WHEN WILL PRISONS REOPEN FOR VISITS IN CALIFORNIA UPDATE

WHEN WILL PRISONS REOPEN FOR VISITS IN CALIFORNIA UPDATE

On April 5, the Bureau of Prisons issued an update to their home confinement policy in response to Covid-19.On March 31, the Bureau of Prisons announced that, effective April 1, everyone currently incarcerated in the federal prison system would be confined to their cell for 14 days.Notably, the memo still instructs prosecutors to detain people who pose a public safety threat, despite concerns about the virus. The memo cited the risk inherent in increasing jail populations during the pandemic, as well as concerns about risks to individuals. On April 6, Attorney General Barr sent a memo to federal prosecutors urging them to consider Covid-19 related risk when making bail decisions.Barring that, prison officials should use their discretion to transfer people to community corrections options. Reducing Jail and Prison Populationsīrennan Center Recommendation: Elderly and sick people and those incarcerated for parole violations should be released or recommended for release under compassionate release provisions or another authority. Though some states have explicitly included incarcerated individuals in their vaccination plans, many have not yet provided information as to how and when those behind bars will be granted access to this protection. According to analyses by The Marshall Project and The Associated Press, this constitutes an 8% decrease in the national prison population since the pandemic started.Īs the coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage the country, and particularly its incarcerated populations, government actors have turned their attention to vaccine distribution as the solution to this health crisis. Some correctional authorities have already begun this work.īetween March and June, more than 100,000 people were released from state and federal prisons. They can also ease conditions of confinement and increase access to health products. Factor in the unique health challenges faced by incarcerated people and the limited availability of quality healthcare, and it’s no surprise that correctional facilities are uniquely vulnerable to diseases such as Covid-19.Ĭorrectional administrators have limited control over how long people spend incarcerated, but they can use what authority they possess to release people outright or direct people to less restrictive forms of confinement. Even in the best of times they are, by definition, facilities where people are placed in close contact with each other on a near-constant basis. Prisons and jails frequently suffer from overcrowding. Advance Constitutional Change Show / hide.National Task Force on Democracy Reform & the Rule of Law.Government Targeting of Minority Communities Show / hide.Campaign Finance in the Courts Show / hide.Gerrymandering & Fair Representation Show / hide.Ensure Every American Can Vote Show / hide.Phone calls are nice but they are limited to 15 minutes and as said before seeing is believing and a phone call can only do so much! Please sign this petition to get Govern Gavin Newsom's attention on this major concern. If families are unable to physically see their incarcerated love ones how can it truly be determine their wellbeing? Some inmates cannot properly rehabilitate and transition back into the real world without any physical or visual contact from anyone outside of the prison. This can be both stressful for inmates and the families of the inmates. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) recognizes the importance of visitation and encourages families and friends to visit as often as their circumstances allow.” While the COVID 19 pandemic does cause health concerns and precautions should be taken, grocery stores, restaurants, shopping centers, beaches, parks, gyms, and even Chuck E Cheese are all open to the public of California and there have been no updates on inmate visitation for the county jail or state prison of California since they’ve shut down.

The CDCR website clearly states “visiting a family member or friend who is in prison is an important way to maintain connections during incarceration and enhances the prisoner’s success both while in prison and after release.

When will prisons reopen for visits in california