‘An avoidable crisis’: Elected officials, advocates call for release of more prisoners during pandemic

‘AN AVOIDABLE CRISIS’: ELECTED OFFICIALS, ADVOCATES CALL FOR RELEASE OF MORE PRISONERS DURING PANDEMIC

Nov 10, 2020
WHDH-TV

BOSTON (WHDH) – Elected officials and prison reform advocates called on Gov. Charlie Baker to release more prisoners as coronavirus cases continue to rise at the state’s correctional facilities.

“The close quarters and lack of sanitary practices make our prisons and jails petri dishes for Covid-19 spread,” Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins said at a protest on the steps of the State House Tuesday. “This is an avoidable crisis,”

Rollins and other advocates said prisons are overcrowded, unsanitary and limited in health care. Last week, 140 inmates tested positive for the coronavirus at MCI-Norfolk and 19 inmates tested positive at MCI-Shirley, halting visits at both prisons, and 10 inmates have died of the virus this year.

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