Corrections_Today_September_October_2023_Vol.85_No.5

NIJ Update

Through the NIJ-funded Priority Criminal Justice Needs Initiative, the RAND Corporation recently hosted a series of workshops with key stake holders to examine COVID-19’s impact on the criminal justice system. 3 This article highlights findings from the institutional and community corrections workshops, then discusses a recent BJS report on the pandemic’s impact on local jail populations. 4 Institutional corrections responses to COVID-19 RAND’s report on the workshops, Institutional Corrections System’s COVID-19 Response, describes com mon factors that may have helped the virus spread in correctional settings. 5 For example, a number of corrections agencies could not move activities outdoors, lacked ventilation systems that could address airborne viruses, had dense prison popula tions, needed to house individuals in shared spaces, and required frequent exits and entries by staff and indi viduals under custody. Workshop attendees raised specific challenges, such as con ducting enough COVID-19 tests, knowing how to best use test results, and addressing the health needs of incarcerated persons. Because many corrections agencies rely on external health care systems, their ability to serve incarcerated populations was strained by competing community service demands. That challenge was further complicated by the large por tions of the corrections population who were deemed at high risk for severe illness or death from CO VID-19. Those at-risk groups include the elderly, persons with preexisting

should be examined. A few that could substantially benefit all stake holders are: 8 – How can data be collected to better understand the disease burden across demographic groups in correctional facilities? – What have been the pandemic’s mental health effects on incarcerated persons and correctional staff? – How can correctional officers and staff lower their risk of infection? – Can virtual visitation, telehealth, and educational op portunities be expanded? Community corrections responses to COVID-19 The RAND report noted that the pandemic-driven reduction in jail and prison populations placed increased demands on community supervision agencies. Those agen cies were already under stress as they attempted to meet their regular obligations, such as responding to the needs of high-risk offenders, sex offenders, and individuals requir ing mental health or substance use treatment. Further complicat ing matters was the severe impact that COVID-19 had on the service agency networks that supply much needed programming to community supervision. Workshop attendees described the many adjustments they made amid the uncertainty of the pandemic, such as finding alternatives to incarcera tion where it was no longer a viable response to supervision violations, reducing face-to-face contact between community supervision of ficers and persons under supervision,

health conditions, and members of minority groups. 6 Facilities also struggled to deliver COVID-19 treat ment and services to persons with mental health and behavioral disor ders. Additionally, corrections staff faced heavy burdens, particularly when they contracted the virus or were required to quarantine, further stressing the staff who remained at work. How did they adapt? To maintain health and safety, corrections agencies had to reduce their incarcerated population and develop strategies for quarantine, such as physical distancing, wear ing masks, and enhancing hygiene practices. Most incarcerated persons had to rely on technology to keep in contact with their families and legal counsel, as facilities denied entry to visitors and all but essential personnel. Things to consider beyond the pandemic Workshop participants encour aged corrections agencies, to the extent feasible, to maintain reduced populations; continue using virtual technologies for visitation, court hearings, and telehealth; allow certain corrections staff to telework; and include correctional facilities in local disaster planning. 7 The crisis brought on by COVID-19 has also provided opportunities to implement and sustain reforms that are gener ally beneficial to corrections. Research and evaluation ques tions for future consideration The workshops also served to generate empirical questions that

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