COVID-19

DECARCERATE NOW

COVID-19 PRISONER RELIEF

With nationwide protests leading to increased arrests and detainment, particularly of people of color, now more than ever we need to DECARCERATE.



Our correctional facilities remain highly susceptible to a COVID-19 outbreak, and anyone in detention is inherently at risk. No one should face a death sentence for a cannabis offense, for exercising their right to peacefully assemble, or simply because they can't afford bail.

Mass incarceration has left prisons and jails highly susceptible to an outbreak given overcrowding, lack of resources, and little access to medical care. To address this situation public officials need to take steps to reduce overcrowding and ensure access to medical care including:

 

  • Identifying people who are scheduled to be released from prison or jail in the next six months and release them into home confinement.
    
    
  • Parole prisoners over the age of 65, with priority given to those who have underlying health conditions that make them particularly susceptible to the virus.
  • Individuals who have successfully completed at least three years of supervision should be transferred to administrative supervision or have their supervision terminated altogether.
    
  • Suspend copays for medical visits made by incarcerated persons. It is cruel and unusual punishment to deny access to lifesaving medical care to incarcerated individuals simply because they can't afford it. This is particularly unjust when considering prisoners often work for less than a dollar a day, including those making hand sanitizer for the state of New York.
    
  • Correctional facilities across the country are implementing lockdowns and suspending visitation. We must ensure FREE access to smart visitations and phone calls for all incarcerated individuals.
    
  • RELEASE ALL CANNABIS PRISONERS. No one incarcerated for a victimless cannabis offense should continue to be incarcerated today. Now is the time to free our cannabis prisoners and further reduce the risk of outbreaks in correctional facilities.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

CALL YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS AND URGE THEM TO IMMEDIATELY RELEASE ALL PEACEFUL PROTESTERS

Contact your State's Attorney and request the following using this sample script. Leave a voicemail if you can't get through.

SAMPLE SCRIPT: “Hello, my name is ______ and I live in _________. I’m calling to demand that the State's Attorney drop all charges against peaceful protesters.

 

Contact your local Police Department and request the following using this sample script. Leave a voicemail if you can't get through.

SAMPLE SCRIPT: “Hello, my name is ______ and I live in _________. I’m calling to demand that the _____________ Police Department immediately release all protesters arrested during the recent demonstrations."

CALL YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS AND URGE THEM TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO PROTECT OUR INCARCERATED COMMUNITY FROM CORONAVIRUS

Locate your governor's office here.

Locate your state's Department of Corrections here.

Get up to date information on your local correctional facilities' response to the pandemic here and then use the appropriate sample scripts based on the response.

SAMPLE SCRIPT: “Hello, my name is ______ and I live in _________. I’m calling to demand that the [Governor or DOC Commissioner] engage in immediate decarceration and other emergency measures to protect the lives of incarcerated people in our state. There is no question that COVID-19 will spread rapidly on the inside. Health experts have made it clear that everyone is at risk, so everyone incarcerated needs to be freed right now. Because of confinement and the punishing and inhumane conditions incarcerated people are forced into, they are put at the highest risk for COVID-19. They cannot safely self-isolate and cannot access needed medical care.

 

Your office can take steps to decarcerate by paroling all incarcerated individuals over the age of 65 or at risk inmates, as well as any individual incarcerated on a nonviolent marijuana offense. No one incarcerated for a victimless cannabis offense should continue to be incarcerated today. Now is the time to free our cannabis prisoners and further reduce the risk of outbreaks in correctional facilities. The only acceptable response to COVID-19 is decarceration."

If your local correctional facilities have suspended visitation but not provided free phone calls or smart visitations add this sample script:

"Your office recently took the step of [suspending/restricting] in-person visitation at [jail name] to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While there is no question that in-person visitation can be risky at this time, incarcerated people and their families must be able to communicate in order to endure this trying, confusing, and constantly evolving pandemic.


I am calling to request your leadership in protecting incarcerated people and their loved ones by providing phone and video calls free of cost for at least thirty days – as sheriffs have done in the past on special occasions, such as Christmas, and as has been recommended by prosecutors nationwide."

If your local correctional facilities have not waived medical co-pays add this sample script: 

"Your office has not yet taken steps, as many jurisdictions have, to suspend medical copays during the coronavirus pandemic. This is a critical step that your office MUST take in order to ensure incarcerated individuals are able to access medical care and testing and to mitigate an outbreak. It is cruel and unusual punishment to deny access to lifesaving medical care to incarcerated individuals simply because they can't afford it."

SIGN OUR PETITION urging the President and the Federal Bureau of Prisons to take the necessary steps to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus on our incarcerated communities.

GET ASSISTANCE


Is your loved one a currently incarcerated cannabis prisoner? 

GET HELP
Share by: