ABSTRACT
With the spread of COVID-19 comes reports of rising outbreaks in prisons throughout the United States. On a national level, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has modified operation guidelines for the evaluation and early release of eligible non-violent, at-risk offenders. However, each state government and Department of Corrections have the responsibility and jurisdiction to enforce policies within their own prison systems. To combat the escalation of positive cases and to protect the safety of inmates, some prison systems have accelerated early release procedures for eligible prisoners. Compared to other states, the State of Nevada has started early with the enforcement of quarantine and testing protocols to combat the spread of COVID-19, starting in early March. However, the State of Nevada has not passed orders for the early release or home confinement of eligible inmates. States such as California and Pennsylvania, have already created criteria for inmates eligible for early release and have released prisoners. Other states like Arizona and Indiana have not released guidelines but are looking favorably toward doing so. Growing incarceration rates are rapidly overwhelming facility operational capacities, which only makes the probability of spreading COVID-19 within prisons and outside the prisons inevitable. Data analysis shows an increased probability of having positive cases and community spread of COVID-19 within a correctional facility as prison size, which was indicated by the population capacity, increases. In all states, the number of confirmed cases continues to steadily climb. Before more outbreaks can potentially occur and more prisoners' lives are lost, it is crucial to look at measures to decrease inmate population capacities such as decreasing the intake of new prisoners, expanding space in existing facilities to enforce social distancing, and maximizing storage spaces. Home-confinement is another possible option that prisons can utilize to help decrease prison populations. This study examines the relationship between increasing prison populations and the escalating number of total confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, while proposing for the state Department of Corrections to implement a reduction in prison populations to decrease the transmission of COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Since the COVID-19 outbreak began in Wuhan, China, countries worldwide have been forced to take unprecedented measures to combat it. While some countries are still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, others have fared better and have re-established relative normalcy quickly. The rapid transmission rate of the virus has shown a greater need for efficient and technologically modern containment measures. The use of digital tools to facilitate strict containment measures in countries that have fared well against the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked both interest and controversy. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we compare the precautions taken against the spread of COVID-19 in the United States, Spain, and Italy, with Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore, particularly related to the use of digital tools for contact tracing, and propose policies that could be used in the United States for future COVID-19 waves or pandemics. METHODS: COVID-19 death rate data were obtained from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), accessed through the Our World in Data database, and were evaluated based on population size per 100,000 people from December 31, 2019, to September 6, 2020. All policies and measures enacted were obtained from their respective governmental websites. RESULTS: We found a strong association between lower death rates per capita and countries that implemented early mask use and strict border control measures that included mandatory quarantine using digital tools. There is a significant difference in the number of deaths per 100,000 when comparing Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore with the United States, Spain, and Italy. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our research, it is evident that early intervention with the use of digital tools had a strong correlation with the successful containment of COVID-19. Infection rates and subsequent deaths in Italy, Spain, and the United States could have been much lower with early mask use and, more importantly, timely border control measures using modern digital tools. Thus, we propose that the United States execute the following national policies should a public health emergency be declared: (1) immediately establish a National Command responsible for enacting strict mandatory guidelines enforced by federal and state governments, including national mask use; (2) mandate civilian cooperation with health officials in contact tracing and quarantine orders; and (3) require incoming travelers to the United States and those quarantined to download a contact tracing app. We acknowledge the countries we studied differ in their cultures, political systems, and reporting criteria for COVID-19 deaths. Further research may need to be conducted to address these limitations; however, we believe that the proposed policies could protect the American public.