Governments across Australia must reduce the number of people in prison in response to COVID-19
The Human Rights Law Centre today called on all Australian governments to reduce the number of people detained in prisons in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In order to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Australian Government and health experts have recommended that we use the most effective measure to help ‘flatten the curve’: social distancing. This is, however, impossible in prisons.
Shahleena Musk, Legal Director with the Human Rights Law Centre, said it is crucial that governments across Australia take urgent action to reduce the number of people currently holed away in prisons in response to the current public health emergency.
“The very nature of prisons means that people are in close proximity to others at all times. This makes prisons the perfect breeding ground for COVID-19 and once one person is infected on the inside, it will spread like wildfire throughout the prison system.”
Many people in prison are at great risk of harm and even death should they contract COVID-19, given that almost one-third of people entering prison have a chronic medical condition like asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or live with disability.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in prison are also at great risk, noting many suffer higher rates of chronic health issues than non-Indigenous people.
“A responsible government would take urgent steps to reduce the number of people in the prisons and stem the tide of those coming into the legal system as part of their response to this unprecedented public health emergency. A coordinated and structured release must occur as soon as possible – before infections in prison occur – to safeguard everyone.”
“In order to prevent the potential mass spread and incalculable harm should COVID-19 get into prisons around Australia we call on governments to take action to reduce the numbers of people in these closed environments, including those most at risk of serious harm from COVID-19, such as people with pre-existing health conditions and older people, children and young people,” said Musk