Instiutional Changes to Keep Prisoners Safe

Get Outlook for Android From: J Birch Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:36:57 PM To: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca <justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca>; dujarric@un.org <dujarric@un.org>; GlobalOttawa@globalnews.ca <GlobalOttawa@globalnews.ca>; news@skynews.com <news@skynews.com>; tips@GlobalTVBC.com <tips@GlobalTVBC.com>; newsonline@ctv.ca <newsonline@ctv.ca>; ctvottawa@ctv.ca <ctvottawa@ctv.ca>; she@emro.who.int <she@emro.who.int>; eurohealthycities@who.int <eurohealthycities@who.int>; media@csc-scc.gc.ca <media@csc-scc.gc.ca>; Secretary@HHS.gov <Secretary@HHS.gov>; contact.nbcnews@nbcuni.com <contact.nbcnews@nbcuni.com> Subject: Institutional Changes to Keep Prisoners Safe (Opinion)

Hey Everyone, I was reading stories about concerns centred around our legal institutions and I was thinking of a few options to help alleviate those concerns. I propose:

1. Release all non violent offenders who are not a flight risk. Release them via their own recognizance or even outfit them with ankle bracelets and ensure they remain quarantined at home. This will free up space in our institutions and allow other measures to be enacted.

2. Spread inmates out one person to a cell if possible and devote a wing to anyone who contracts the virus. This way each inmate will have their own cell to reduce the risk of inmate to inmate transference.

3. Schedule outdoor time and other activities in shifts, have one wing go out first and while they are out have their cell sanitized.

4. Provide them with meals that are cooked or prepackaged to reduce the risk of communal infection from the food preparation team.

5. For the inmates that contract the virus have them moved to the quarantine wing and provide them with the best care and attention or move them to a secure hospital if needed.

6. Provide the guards and staff with full PPE to minimize the risk of outside contamination and check the health status of your workers at the start of every shift.

7. Regularly sanitize common areas and cells to ensure no viral remnants linger and reduce congregation between inmates in communal areas such as gyms.

8. Allow only visitations behind Plexiglas and screen arrivals prior to reduce the risk of infection being brought into the facility.

There may be some additional or even amended needs for each institution as they are different in design and scope but these options might help reduce the risk of infection to those in the facilities. Stay Safe, Stay Sanitized and Stay Supportive, John Ames Birch @johneames2