mass incarceration
-
Just Mercy Is Available to Rent for Free Throughout June in Honor of George Floyd
Though the primary purpose of films is to entertain, it can also be used to make a statement and inform the masses on important issues throughout history. 2019’s Just Mercy was certainly touted as a film that accomplished as much. In June, Warner Bros. Pictures decided to make the critically acclaimed film available to the public…
-
New COVID-19 Model Predicts Failure to Reduce Jails Will Lead to Nearly 100,000 More Coronavirus Deaths
Since the coronavirus became a global pandemic, predictive models have been an important—and hotly debated—tool to help understand the spread of the virus and anticipate potential needs. According to the estimates coming out of the White House’s models, slightly more than 100,000 people will die from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. It’s a…
-
Michigan Man Completing a 44-Year Life Sentence Dies From Coronavirus Just Weeks Away From Release
Earlier this year, 60-year-old William Garrison had an important choice to make. Convicted to serve a lifetime in prison when he was just 16 years old, Garrison was eligible for parole in February, or he could serve a seven-month sentence and walk away from prison, finally, a free man. Garrison chose freedom, but because of…
-
The Root Joins PBS' Independent Lens and the film Bedlam for a Discussion on Mental Health and Mass Incarceration
The numbers are staggering. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than one in five adults—essentially 40 million Americans—are living with mental illness, including severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia, severe depression and bipolar disorder, of which I, too, am a sufferer. But when it comes to me, someone who enjoys a great career…
-
How 27 Years in Prison Prepared Me for the Coronavirus
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. Sign up for their newsletter or follow The Marshall Project on Facebook or Twitter. When I need to go to my local supermarket, I suit up with latex gloves I got from Target and…
-
The 1st Rikers Island Detainee to Die From Coronavirus Complications Was Jailed for Parole Violation
The first jail inmate to test positive for COVID-19 at Rikers Island, Michael Tyson, died on Sunday. According to multiple people familiar with Tyson’s case, he contracted and died from the disease while awaiting a hearing on a parole violation. Tyson was just 53 years old, reports The New York Times, and had been detained…
-
Melted My Little Pony Tekashi69 Gets Early Release Due to Coronavirus Concerns
Rapper Tekashi69 was released from federal prison on Thursday because his asthma puts him at heightened risk for developing severe symptoms to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The New York Times reports that U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayor confirmed that the pandemic presented “extraordinary and compelling reasons” for a compassionate release. Engelmayor, who…
-
As Coronavirus Spreads in Nation's Jails, Inmates Sue Correctional Systems for Soap and Paper Towels
It’s one of the most basic ways to fight the spread of the coronavirus: soap and clean towels. But on Monday, people locked behind bars in Washington, D.C. and Texas had to sue correctional facilities in order to get them. Filed in federal court, the D.C. and Texas lawsuits accuse their respective prison systems of…
-
A Death Sentence: As Jails Struggle to Stem Coronavirus Outbreaks, Delays Could Spell Disaster
On March 19, the chief physician of New York City’s jail system, Ross MacDonald, issued a warning on Twitter: “A storm is coming.” In a plea directed at city prosecutors and judges, MacDonald said he noticed how swiftly courts were closed in response to COVID-19. “This was fundamentally an act of social distancing, a sound…