US prisons were Covid hotbed where inmates died nearly 3.5 times more than those outside

State and federal prisons emerged as hotbeds for the COVID-19 virus in the wake of its outbreak in the US as there was a heightened risk faced by incarcerated individuals. Research from the University of California, Irvine, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital highlighted the staggering toll and revealed that at the pandemic’s zenith in 2020, those inside prisons were nearly three-and-a-half times more likely to have died from the virus compared to the general population outside. 

The study, drawing from data from state prison systems and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, documented over 6,000 deaths among incarcerated individuals in the first year of the pandemic. The analysis illustrated a stark increase of at least 50 percent in the overall prison mortality rate, with potentially over 75 percent spikes. 

The impact was particularly severe on older prisoners, with death rates among those aged 50 and above soaring. Lead author of the study, Naomi Sugie, pointed out this disparity and noted how older inmates faced greater risks.

The data revealed that there was a reduction in prison admissions even when there was no increase in releases. This reduction inadvertently shielded younger individuals from COVID-19 exposure, as incarcerated populations tend to be older.

Governors, vested with the power to release prisoners, hesitated to take decisive action, with concerns over potential backlash over decision-making. Only a handful of parole boards saw notable increases in releases, with Iowa standing out for more releases.

Mitigation efforts varied widely across states, with some implementing aggressive testing and lockdown measures, while others lagged behind and resorted to calling in external support as deaths surged. Illinois, for instance, struggled to swiftly implement protective measures that escalating fatalities.

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Speaking over the Bureau of Justice Statistics that has not published mortality data, Sugie, the study’s author said, “this is really both to have an accounting of what happened… but also, really importantly, to learn from what happened, so we don’t do this again in the future when we have another pandemic, another crisis.”

(With inputs from agencies)