A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in jails and prisons around the country. While the vast majority of the U.S. population is taking extreme measures to limit their exposure to COVID-19, people behind bars are held in cramped conditions with no ability to protect themselves. A number of jails and prisons have already experienced rapid spread of infection. Without immediate decisive action, many more will follow. Authorities across the country must deploy all available measures to release people from custody. Here, we collect information for some of the nation's jail systems, providing tools to expedite release and track progress.
The Cook County Jail has emerged as the site of the highest concentration of confirmed COVID-19 cases in America. Below you’ll find a set of tools for tracking how Chicago’s criminal justice system is responding to the crisis, including current data on incidents reported to the police, arrests, COVID-19 in the general population, and the number of people held in the jail. In addition to the resources on this page, Vera has created a series of guidance briefs on bold changes government agencies can take to respond to COVID-19 in the criminal justice system.
Chicago
National