Citation

Piel J. J. Forensic Sci. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Program in Mental Health, Policy, and the Law, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, 1660 South Columbian Way, MS-116 MHS, Seattle, WA, 98108.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1556-4029.14456

PMID

32407545

Abstract

There are more than two million people incarcerated in the United States (1). With the spread of the novel SARS‐CoV‐2 strain of coronavirus (COVID‐19), there has been recent attention afforded to the conditions of confinement for persons in correctional facilities across the country (2). As one measure in dealing with the pandemic, a number of detainees, family members, and organizations have called on governors, legislatures, prosecutors, and other leaders to take measures to quickly reduce the numbers of people in correctional facilities. Advocates for diversion from the criminal justice system and release of inmates have urged leaders to take immediate steps to minimize the spread of the pandemic within correctional facilities and, by extension, to the broader communities. In response to this pressure and, in some cases, legal suits, several local governments have taken measures to grant early release to inmates (3). These programs have largely focused on identifying detainees who are elderly or otherwise in a vulnerable class for contracting COVID‐19, nonviolent offenders, and those who were already due for release in coming weeks or months. By way of example, Governor Jay Inslee issued an emergency commutation order for certain inmates in Washington State (4). Pending additional directives from the Washington Supreme Court as a result of a case filed by inmates in Washington (5), the state issued an initial list of persons whose sentences would be commuted and authorized their transfer from confinement within seven days of the order, or as soon as reasonably possible. (6). A significant number of commuted inmates had alcohol‐ or drug‐related offenses (7).

Regardless of one’s position on the release of inmates, the debate and attention to date has focused on reducing the spread and physical health consequences of COVID‐19 and balancing this with public safety concerns inherent in early release of inmates back into the community. Limited consideration has been placed on the behavioral health implications of early and expediated inmate release during COVID‐19. Given the quick time frame between identification of those inmates selected for expediated release and the actual dates of anticipated release in order to have a meaningful effect during the pandemic, it is likely that transitional and discharge planning will be abbreviated. Transitional planning and discharge planning are the mechanisms used to assess the healthcare and psychosocial needs of individuals to promote a successful transition from corrections to the community. Accordingly, it is an important public health consideration to think about the ways expediated release may impact behavioral health and psychosocial factors for newly released inmates and their families during COVID‐19.

It is premature for any empirical studies or data on the behavioral health impacts of expediated inmate release during COVID‐19. Identified here are just a handful of possible secondary consequences to expediated release of inmates during the pandemic. Given the implications for public health, it is important to consider these factors in effort to support and provide policy interventions to reduce adverse outcomes among released inmates and their contacts during this time of reintegration ...

Language: en