Do Prisoners’ Lives Matter?

DO PRISONERS’ LIVE MATTER? – As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, new paradigms have emerged in coping with the virus. Governments have issued guidelines to help communities, businesses, hospitals, etc., deal with the rising threat. One population that has received scant attention is the prison population. In spite of the fact that prisons by their nature are breeding grounds for infectious diseases such as COVID-19, federal and State government have largely left the task of combating the virus to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (“DOC.”) The DOC is not equipped to deal with a pandemic of this magnitude. First of all, prisoners live in tight quarters, not conducive for the isolation and social distancing required to prevent cross-infection. In addition, new evidence now suggests that the virus can be spread through air-conditioning vents. This is alarming because in prison architecture, cells are served by connecting air ducts. So you can be infected while sleeping in your bed by a neighbor’s sneeze in another cell. Prisons are also not equipped to handle more than a few serious cases at a time and it can be argued that at least some of those prisoners who have died could have been saved with prompt medical care. Lack of urgency to do COVID-19 testing – some men reported being tested for the “flu” and having to wait weeks despite symptoms – can also result in unnecessary hospitalization and death. Testing is not a priority for the DOC, which means it is almost a certainty that there will be a dangerous spike in infections once the quarantine is over.
This is especially critical for the vulnerable – people over the age 50 and those with preexisting conditions. Because someone can have the virus and be completely “asymptomatic,” risk of infection is high without testing. No plan exists to protect the vulnerable, aging population of lifers and long-term offenders once the quarantine is over. So the question is: Shouldn’t the government and the DOC be doing more to protect the lives of these vulnerable prisoners? Do prisoners’ live matter? By, Fred Magondu and Kevin “Saleem” Mines, Lifers Inc.