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California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
When news of the pandemic first reached the men incarcerated at Avenal State Prison in central California, inmate Ed Welker said the prevailing mood was panic. “We were like, ‘Yeah, it’s going to come in here and it’s going to spread like wildfire and we’re all going to get it,’” he said. “And that’s exactly what happened.”
Calling the prison system’s response to the pandemic “nonchalant,” “incompetent” and at times “negligent,” Welker and his fellow inmates described a crowded and dangerous living situation. Inmates interviewed by Valley Public Radio said physical distancing was nearly impossible, and constant moves in and out of quarantine were confusing and disruptive. The postponement of visits and rehabilitative programs left the men with little opportunity to vent their frustrations.
Listen to the report here
More than six percent of Californians have now contracted COVID-19 since the pandemic began, but in one San Joaquin Valley county, the case rate is almost twice as high.
One reason for Kings County’s high cumulative total is massive outbreaks in two of the county’s state-run prisons: Avenal State Prison and the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility in Corcoran, which together account for more than 7,000 cases among incarcerated and staff. According to the New York Times, they’re the two largest outbreaks of COVID-19 in prisons in the entire country.
“That is something that is startling to think, that that many individuals in a very close proximity are all testing positive,” says Jeff Garner, executive director of the non-profit Kings Community Action Organization. “It’s a huge concern. The prisons are a huge employer in our county. Whether it’s employees or clients, it’s kind of like those six degrees of separation.”