March 11, 2021

Anna Murray 

The 14th UN Congress on criminal justice opened on March 7 in Kyoto, Japan. Experts called for global cooperation against crime to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to data from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), more than 11 million prisoners worldwide have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, reportedly more than 527,000 prisoners infected in 122 countries and more than 3,800 fatalities in 47 countries.

There are now more than 5,500 people in New York City’s jails. Prisoners and guards have complained the living conditions inside are unsanitary and dangerous to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Poor prison conditions are often referred to as insufficient sanitation, hygiene, and health services. Prisoners are at high risk for contracting and spreading the coronavirus. Few of those in detention in New York take vaccines. Jails and correctional facilities are susceptible to the outbreak of coronavirus.

Madison County Sheriff Scott Mellinger described COVID-19’s impact on the jails as devastating. Six of 20 cell blocks in the jails of Madison County, Indiana are now utilized for quarantine and isolation. Meanwhile, jail officials are considering the purchase of advanced technology to protect inmates from the coronavirus and other diseases.

According to the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the so-called Nelson Mandela Rules, prisoners ought to receive free access to health services and vaccines under international standards. It is estimated more than 700,000 prisoners worldwide have been released to avoid overcrowding amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, UNODC has gathered national prison and correctional services from about 50 countries at the 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to discuss measures to prevent and control coronavirus infections and alternatives to imprisonment.

Photo:Webshot.