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05.18.2021
LATEST FROM THE BLOG

LIFE EXPECTANCY IN FLORIDA PRISONS PLUMMETED DURING PANDEMIC, STUDY FINDS

 
A survey of deaths in Florida prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic has found that average life expectancy for incarcerated people dropped four years, more than quadruple the decline for the U.S. population as a whole.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REPORT SHINES LIGHT ON THE PANDEMIC IN LOCAL JAILS

A report released last month by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) contains previously unreleased data showing the spread of COVID-19 in the nation’s jails during the early months of the pandemic. We identified several key takeaways.

UPDATE: DATA REPORTING & QUALITY SCORECARD, ROUND 3

As the vaccine rollout has picked up, we've updated the transparency scores we're giving each carceral agency. This time, 83% of agencies failed.
RECENT TRENDS IN COVID-19 DATA


COVID-19 is still running rampant among prison staff. Earlier this month, there were 134 employees of Colorado prisons with reported active cases. 


Despite being prioritized in the state's vaccine rollout, prison staff across Pennsylvania are reporting low vaccination rates -- likely because of refusals -- leaving those around them vulnerable.

Offering vaccines to staff is not enough. Incarcerated people need access now.


Prison staff across the country have refused COVID-19 vaccines at alarming rates.

In California, staff were given access to vaccines well before incarcerated people. Still, because of refusals, a staggering number are likely still unvaccinated -- and may continue to be.
ANNOUNCEMENTS

OUR TEAM FEATURED IN NEW YORK TIMES INVESTIGATION


The New York Times published an investigative report using our data to show how ICE's mismanagement spread COVID-19 inside and outside its facilities. Our team's Neal Marquez was featured discussing ICE's lack of transparency and the community spread it has fueled. 

YOU CAN ANALYZE OUR RAW DATA

 
Do you want to download our raw data to perform your own analyses? On GitHub, you can access our raw data as well as our R package "behindbarstools," which includes a variety of functions to help pull, clean, wrangle, and visualize our data.

SEEKING INFORMATION RELATED TO COVID-19 IN JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES 


If you know of any organizing efforts related to bail funds for youth currently in detention or have information related to mask use and policies in juvenile detention facilities, please reach out to Naila Segule, one of our youth data leads, who is gathering data on these issues.
 

WELCOME TO OUR NEW POLICY AND RESEARCH FELLOW


In June, we will welcome Dr. Amanda Klonsky as our newest Policy and Research Fellow. Dr. Klonsky has worked as an educator in jails and prisons for more than 15 years and her work focuses on expanding access to education for people who are impacted by mass incarceration.

Most recently, Amanda has been engaged in efforts to respond to COVID-19 in jails and prisons by supporting advocacy organizations through her work as a researcher and writer. She has contributed editorials and commentary in The New York Times, The Chicago Sun-Times, and PBS News Hour.
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Copyright © 2021 UCLA Law COVID-19 Behind Bars Data Project, All rights reserved.

Contact us at:
COVIDBehindBars@law.ucla.edu


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