Rockville, Md. – A new Bureau of Justice Statistics study, conducted in collaboration with Abt Global, on the impact of COVID-19 on state and federal prison systems found a sharp drop in the number of prisoners from January 2020 to February 2021. The decline of 215,800 prisoners—16 percent of the 1.3 million persons incarcerated— occurred in every state, in federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities, and in privately operated prisons under contract with a state or the federal government.
The report also documented nearly 2,500 prisoner and 196 correctional staff deaths from COVID-19-related causes from March 2020 to February 2021, with 83 percent of those who died age 55 or older. Prisons administered 4,816,400 viral tests from March 2020 through February 2021, with 8.2 percent of the tests positive. Infection rates were 219 per 1,000 state prisoners, 298 per 1,000 federal prisoners, 269 per 1,000 state prison staff, and 188 per 1,000 for BOP staff.
The data collected from 49 states varied widely because states used different procedures to address the pandemic. Some tested everyone at a site, while others tested only those with symptoms. The study did not compare prison data with the pandemic in the general population because of the state variations. Instead, the study assumed the risk of contracting COVID-19 was equal across all months and states, while among the general population, researchers documented waves of increases and decreases.
Beyond testing differences, states varied in their approaches to early releases and reducing admissions to minimize transmission. “The dramatic drop in the U.S. prison population was primarily because of fewer admissions, rather than a rise in people released,” says co-author Melissa Nadel, Abt Global health research monitoring and evaluation associate. Only six percent of releases were expedited. “The difference in treatment of violent and non-violent offenses was particularly notable,” she added.
In one state, for example, violent-offender admissions began to increase after the initial drop, but non-violent admissions kept going down. In another state, both violent and non-violent admissions started to increase again in mid-late 2020, but at a faster rate for non-violent offenders.
The study did not determine which state approach worked best. Nor did it address why admissions declined. Future research could explore possible explanations such as courts shutting down, people being held in jails for longer periods, and fewer parole revocations.
About Abt Global
Abt Global is a global consulting and research firm that combines data and bold thinking to improve the quality of people's lives. We partner with clients and communities to advance equity and innovation—from creating scalable digital solutions and combatting infectious disease, to mitigating climate change and evaluating programs for measurable social impact. https://www.abtglobal.com
Contact:
Stan Crock
stan_crock@abtassoc.com
(301) 347-5402
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Public Warning: Recruitment Phishing Scam Impersonating Abt Global
Abt Global has become aware of a phishing scheme targeting individuals with fraudulent interview requests and job offers. Abt’s secure IT systems and private applicant information have not been compromised; scammers are impersonating Abt employees, using the company name and branding to mislead and engage potential job seekers in fake recruitment processes. Scammers might reference real job openings or describe fake opportunities that generally match individuals’ professional backgrounds, with the goal of establishing communication and eventually obtaining private financial information to defraud people. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Federal Trade Commission warn that employment scams such as this are a growing cyber threat. Abt urges anyone who is contacted about employment opportunities to exercise caution and know that: All communication from Abt Global will be from an Abt employee using the @abtglobal.com email domain (e.g., recruiting@abtglobal.com). We do not use third-party recruiters. Abt Global recruiters will only schedule interviews for candidates who have applied for a position through our secure portal. You may view your application status through the applicant portal on Abt Global Careers. No corporate or IT systems at Abt are affected by this scam. The scammers are using Abt’s logo and employee names to impersonate the company. You can directly contact us at recruiting@abtglobal.com with any questions or concerns. Abt is committed to ensuring the safety and security of our community. We caution individuals to be vigilant in protecting personal data and vetting communication with new contacts from any company. Do not respond or provide any personal information if contacted by someone claiming to represent a company to which you did not submit a job application or profile. This scam can be perpetrated against any business and individuals who recognize and trust its name. For information on Abt recruitment practices and policies, please visit our careers page or email recruiting@abtglobal.com. To report a scam, visit: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/.