Prisons and COVID-19: resources

1st April 2020

"Prison health is community health."

IPRT is curating some of the more useful resources and international guidance regarding COVID-19 and imprisonment as it is published here. 

International guidance:

• Penal Reform International: Coronavirus: Healthcare and human rights of people in prison - briefing note
• European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT): Statement of principles relating to the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in the context of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic
• World Health Organisation: Preparedness, prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention - Interim Guidance
• World Health Organisation: Checklist to evaluate preparedness, prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention
• Inter-Agency Standing Committee (OHCHR and WHO): COVID-19: Focus on persons deprived of their liberty - Interim Guidance
• UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT): Advice regarding compulsory quarantine for Coronavirus
• UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT): Advice relating to the Coronavirus Pandemic (adopted on 25th March 2020)
• Council of Europe, Commissioner for Human Rights: COVID-19 pandemic: urgent steps are needed to protect the rights of prisoners in Europe
• UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention: Deliberation No. 11 on prevention of arbitrary deprivation of liberty in the context of public health emergencies
• APT and ODIHR: GUIDANCE Monitoring Places of Detention through the COVID-19 Pandemic

Additional resources:

• World Health Organisation: Frequently asked questions about prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: COVID-19 preparedness and responses in prisons
• Alliance CPHA and UNICEF: Technical Note: COVID-19 and Children Deprived of their Liberty
• QUNO, NNAPES and PRI: Covid-19 and the Rights of Children of Parents who are Incarcerated

IPRT resources: 

• Irish prisons and COVID-19: Proposed Measures (2020)
• Progress in the Penal System: 2019 including standards on safe custody, single-cells, family contact, prison healthcare, and more.
• IPRT report on the rights and needs of people with disabilities in prison in Ireland (2020)
• IPRT report on restricted regimes and solitary confinement in prison (2017)
• IPRT report on rights and needs of older people in prison in Ireland (2016)
• IPRT report on monitoring of infectious diseases in prisons in Ireland (2016)

Proposals:

• Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice: COVID-19 and Prisons: Emergency Policy Responses (18th March)
• Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice: Covid-19: Reducing Remand Population (26th March)
• PRILA: Statement from the PRILA Research Group on COVID-19 in Prisons
• Howard League: Coronavirus in prison: Measures that could be considered
• Vera Institute of Justice: Coronavirus Guidance for the Criminal and Immigration Legal Systems
• Fair & Just Prosecution: Joint Statement from Elected Prosecutors on COVID-19
• Think Justice: Justice System Response to the Epidemiological Challenge of Coronavirus Covid-19 in the Community
• The Marshall Project: Suggestions to Jails for Managing the Impacts of COVID-19

Perspectives:

• Human Rights Watch: US: COVID-19 Threatens People Behind Bars
• Prison Policy Initiative: No need to wait for pandemics: The public health case for criminal justice reform
• North Carolina Division of Prisons: COVID-19 Precautions 
• Health Affairs Blog: What COVID-19 Means For America’s Incarcerated Population
• The Verge: 'Prisons and jails are vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks' (U.S.)
• ACLU: 'Are Our Prisons and Jails Ready for COVID-19?' (U.S.)
• LA Times Editorial: Coronavirus makes jails and prisons potential death traps. That puts us all in danger 
• Community Justice Scotland: How coronavirus has finally helped us to see prison inmates as human beings - Karyn McCluskey
• Child Rights International Network: Coronavirus and children in detention