Monday, May 31, 2021

Covid Behind Bars

The UCLA Law COVID Behind Bars Data Project has been tracking the spread of Covid-19 in American prisons. Since March of last year the proect has been collecting data on reported cases of Covid-19 in prisons, jails, youth facilities, and immigration detention centers across the United States.

The United States has one of the largest prison populations in the world. The systematic overcrowding and inadequate healthcare found in American prisons means that a pandemic such as Covid-19 is a potential catastrophe waiting to happen. According to the Marshall Project, which is also tracking COVID-19 infections in state and federal prisons, there has so far been at least 2,683 deaths in federal prisons from the coronavirus. 

The data section of the COVID Behind Bars Data Project allows you to explore incarcerated Covid-19 deaths and infections on an interactive map. The map uses data spikes to show the cumulative number of infections and deaths in individual carceral facilities across the country. The map also allows you to view death rates from Covid-19 in each facility. 

An 'active cases' view provides an up-to-date view of where prisoners currently have COVID-19 in a carceral facility. On the map different colors are used to show different types of carceral facility. This view reveals what appears to be significant outbreaks of Covid-19 infections in ICE Detention Centers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arizona.

No comments: