The Economist: The virus should speed efforts to shrink America's prison population
Such efforts are well-meant but inadequate. The virus is already spreading behind bars. Prisons in every state now ban regular visitors. In 15 states even lawyers are blocked. As staff and volunteers who provide education, therapy and other services also stay away, another risk is that morale will fall, to be replaced by mounting fear and frustration. That bodes ill for good order. In Italy similar efforts to contain the virus this month provoked at least 25 prison riots and several deaths.
Inmates are often packed close and obliged to buy their own soap—seen as a luxury, not a basic need—from meagre earnings. They will struggle to fend off infection. Pam Oliver, a sociologist who studies prisons in Wisconsin, calls the lack of hygiene “extremely dangerous”. The current crisis at least is raising public awareness of “severe overcrowding and unsanitary conditions” for those locked up, says Inimai Chettiar, of Justice Action Network, which campaigns for reform.