Understanding the Impact
of the COVID-19 Pandemic on People in Prison
Free and Safe: Coronavirus and the Criminal Justice System
On any given day, there are 1.8 million people locked up in America’s jails and prisons and an additional 3.9 million people are on some form of community supervision such as probation or parole. During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals impacted by the criminal justice system have been especially vulnerable.
Here you will find stories of how the coronavirus pandemic impacted individuals in the criminal justice system and their loved ones.
COVID-19: State-Level Data
The numbers clearly show that COVID-19 in prisons is a public health crisis.
By the Numbers
COVID-19 and the Criminal Justice System
638,000+ confirmed cases of COVID-19
As of January 18, 2023, nearly 640,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in US prisons have been documented.
People in prison are 4 times more likely
People in prison are 4 times more likely to have contracted COVID 19 than the national average. In some states, people in prison have COVID 19 infection rates 8 times more than the national average.
Deaths rose 50%
Deaths in state and federal prisons across America rose nearly 50 percent during the first year of the pandemic, and in six states they more than doubled. The jump in deaths in 2020 was more than twice the increase in the United States overall.
Over 3,000 dead
In prisons, jails, and correctional facilities across the country, there have been over 3,000 known deaths among incarcerated people and correctional officers, as of January 2023.
Issue Center
Your Deep Dive:
Protecting Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic
