A protester stood outside Cook County Jail in Chicago last summer. Photo: risingthermals (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
As cases of Covid-19 skyrocket across Washington state, protecting the public health requires bold action from our leaders. Unfortunately, delayed and reactionary responses have abandoned many of our most vulnerable community members. Nowhere is this more evident than in the criminal justice system.
The Department of Corrections (DOC) has consistently failed to protect incarcerated individuals from the deadly pandemic, resulting in the spread of outbreaks within multiple facilities and insufficient medical care during these outbreaks. Our elected leaders must act now to release those who are at highest risk for Covid infection and death.