Barr Weakens COVID-19 Protections for Incarcerated Individuals

WASHINGTON – Today, Justice Action Network Legislative and Policy Director, Inimai Chettiar, issued the following statement on Attorney General William Barr’s directive to the Bureau of Prisons on the COVID-19 crisis:

“While we were heartened to hear Attorney General William Barr admit that he shares widespread concerns that federal prisons could become ‘petri-dishes’ for the spread of the coronavirus, and acknowledge that some prisoners would be better off serving their time in home confinement, we are distressed by the memo he released placing significant restrictions on which individuals would be eligible to return home. This memo appears to further weaken a provision Congress included in the Phase III coronavirus response package, which expanded the Bureau of Prisons’ ability to transfer non-violent prisoners to home confinement during this emergency. We hope both the President and Congress are vigilant about ensuring the Department of Justice does not slow-walk the dire and immediate need to reduce the overcrowding in federal prisons, because any delay here could have disastrous and life-threatening consequences to people in prisons, correctional officers, and everyone in their surrounding communities.”