Smart Justice asks Governor Lamont & Legislators to Protect Incarcerated People from COVID-19

As of March 27, 2020, three workers in Connecticut prisons, jails, and youth detention centers have tested positive for COVID-19 / coronavirus. Smart Justice has been speaking out for weeks about the urgent need for Governor Lamont, members of the Connecticut General Assembly, and other decisionmakers to act. Leaders have been calling on Lamont to issue a thoughtful, compassionate plan to safely release people who are incarcerated, prevent new prison and jail admissions as much as possible, and reduce risk for anyone who remains inside. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "I spent 31 years of my life in the Connecticut Department of Correction and 15 of those years as a hospice volunteer working directly with terminally ill patients in the medical unit. I know firsthand the obstacles and challenges that the department faces every day dealing with medical issues. If COVID-19 was to get into the facilities, it would spread like wildfire." - Brian Sullivan, who volunteered in the DOC's hospice for more than a decade, asked Governor Lamont to announce a thoughtful release plan to protect incarcerated people from COVID-19. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "I've been incarcerated before and have seen and experienced firsthand how hard it is to receive adeqaute medical attention. They are also housed in very tight spaces." - Alex Brown spoke about the importance of Governor Lamont compassionately, proactively, and thoughtfully releasing people. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "There is a segment of our population who lives under these [close quartered] conditions on a regular basis." - Donald Rivers reminded Governor Lamont that people who are incarcerated aren't able to protect themselves from COVID-19 in prisons and jails.  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "In a prison, doctor appointments can sometimes take weeks or longer to happen." - Ciara Rosati spoke about the fact that elderly people who are incarcerated may be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "These are people's lives. These are people's family members, and we need to make sure that everyone is kept safe. As a formerly incarcerated person, I can tell you firsthand that the medical staff inside our prisons and jails is already overstressed and overworked." - Shelby Henderson addressed the fact that people who are incarcerated are people, with lives that matter and families who love them.  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "Now is the time to act. Let's not wait until COVID-19 whirlwinds through our prisons and jails." - Sean Sellars spoke to the urgent need for a coordinated, swift government response.  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "As someone who was incarcerated for nearly eight years. I know how dangerous, alarming and scary it is when someone becomes sick in your unit or your block or your dormitory. Very quickly everyone around them will become sick as well including staff. So the right public health solution right now is for governor Lamont to take action." - Smart Justice field organizer Gus Marks-Hamilton