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Your Call

After COVID Outbreaks In California's Prisons, Advocates Call For Emergency Release Of Inmates

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San Quentin Prison

On this edition of Your Call, we're discussing the alarming number of coronavirus cases in California’s prisons. According to the California Department of Corrections Tracker, there are now 5,365 confirmed cases inside the state's 35 prisons. The official death toll is 28.

At San Quentin State Prison, there are over 1,360 confirmed cases. At the California Institution for Women in Riverside County, there are 160 confirmed cases. Advocates and public health officials have been raising alarms about overcrowded conditions inside prisons for months. They’re now calling for inmates to be released early.

Guests:

Abené Clayton, reporter on the Guardian's Guns and Lies in America project

Anoop Prasad, staff attorney with the immigrant rights program at the Asian Law Caucus

Colby Lenz, community organizer and legal advocate with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners

Laura Hernandez, former inmate at the California Institution for Women who is now advocating for the California Coalition for Women Prisoners and the Young Women’s Freedom Center

Web Resources:

The Guardian, Abené Clayton: 'Historic health screw-up': what you need to know about the Covid-19 crisis in California prisons

The Guardian, Sam Levin: California governor grants clemency to 21 prisoners as thousands infected with Covid-19

SF Chronicle, Jason Fagone: Women’s prison journal: State inmate’s daily diary during pandemic

The Appeal, Kelly Davis: CORONAVIRUS IN JAILS AND PRISONS

Daily Bulletin, Jonah Valdez: ‘We are terrified’: Coronavirus outbreak reported at Chino women’s prison