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New Surge of COVID Is Spreading “Like Wildfire” in Illinois Prisons
by Brian Dolinar, Truthout.org, January 30, 2021
Part of the Series: Despair and Disparity: The Uneven Burdens of COVID-19
With COVID-19 raging throughout the United States, there is a growing sense of desperation among people in prison. Pablo Mendoza, who recently got out of prison, said that those inside “are …
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More from this issue:
- Inside Trump and Barr’s Last-Minute Killing Spree, by Isaac Arnsdorf
- Sequel: Three Additional Federal Executions Before Trump Left Office, by Chad Marks
- Analysis: Federal Executions in Indiana Became ‘Super-Spreader’ Events, by Derek Gilna
- California Prison System Fined $400,000 For Prisoner Transfers That Sparked Surge in COVID-19, Also Faulted For Easing Restrictions, by Edward Lyon
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- COVID Pandemic: Medical Update, by Michael D. Cohen, MD
- Biden to Phase Out Privately-Run Federal Prisons; Critics Say Plan Too Timid, by Kevin Bliss
- Reuters Investigation: Lamentable Medical Care in Jails and Prisons Exposed During Pandemic, by Casey Bastian
- $300,000 Award for Illinois Prisoner in Sexual Assault Claim, by David Reutter
- Last-Minute DOJ Order Clears Way for Possible Return of Home Confinees to Prison, by Derek Gilna
- Second Circuit Upholds New York Prison Guards’ Federal Criminal Convictions for Assaulting Prisoner, by Matthew Clarke
- Centurion Opts Out of Mississippi Prison Medical Contract, by David Reutter
- A Guide To Finding Housing After Incarceration
- New Surge of COVID Is Spreading “Like Wildfire” in Illinois Prisons, by Brian Dolinar
- Lawsuit Against Pennsylvania County Over Prisoner’s Death in Restraint Chair Settled for $3 Million, by Matthew Clarke
- Arizona Grandmother Sues After Being Jailed and Forced to Drink From Toilet, by Matthew Clarke
- Audits Reveals Problems With Privatized Food Service at Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County Jail, by Jayson Hawkins
- Essay: What Spurred the Rise in Mass Solitary Confinement, by David Reutter
- No Sentence Reduction for Former Pennsylvania Judge Who Was Caging Kids for Kickback Cash, by Matthew Clarke
- Report: Video Courtroom Proceedings Have Negative Impact on Fairness and Access to Justice, by Matthew Clarke
- New Mexico Lawyer Fights to End Solitary Confinement, by Daniel A. Rosen
- Federal Court Orders Body Cams Be Worn by Guards in Effort to Stop Abuse of Disabled at California Prison, by Douglas Ankney
- COVID-19 Pandemic Leads to Founding of Congressional BOP Reform Caucus, by Anthony Accurso
- Arizona Supreme Court Overturns Decision Allowing Special Master to Review Recordings of Jail Phone Calls to Attorney Alleged to be Privileged, by Matthew Clarke
- Greedo Still Influencing From Texas Prison, by Jayson Hawkins
- Federal Judge Dismisses Arizona Woman’s Wrongful Conviction Suit, by Daniel A. Rosen
- Private Medical Contractor Wellpath Pays $4.5 Million in Death of Mentally Ill Jail Detainee After Judge Finds It Destroyed Evidence, by Douglas Ankney
- Victim Compensation and Restorative Justice as Alternatives to Sentencing Enhancements for Hate Crimes, by Douglas Ankney
- Prosecutors Drop Charges Against Florida Prisoner Accused of Assaulting Guard After Video Surfaces, by Kevin Bliss
- Nearly Killed by Dehumanizing Culture of Indifference, Oregon Prisoner Sues for $975,000, by Mark Wilson
- Pay-to-Stay Fees Impoverish Prisoners, Increase Recidivism, by Kevin Bliss
- ICE Detention Facility Deaths Now Highest Since 2005, by Kevin Bliss
- Prisoner Art on Display in New York City Exhibition, by Edward Lyon
- Pardoned Nevada Bank Robber’s Story Creates Hope for Prisoners, by Casey Bastian
- CoreCivic Faces Liability for Wiretap Act Violations in Nevada Case, by David Reutter
- Mentally Ill Oregon Prisoner’s “Needless & Preventable” Death From Flu Complications Nets Record $3 Million Settlement, by Mark Wilson
- Sixth Circuit Orders Michigan District Court to Review Prisoner’s Plea for Compassionate Release, by David Reutter
- Mass Incarceration Fueling Spread of COVID-19 in Local Communities, by Keith Sanders
- California Starts Phase-Out of Most State Juvenile Prisons, but Loophole Allows Two to Remain Open, by Douglas Ankney
- Ohio Supreme Court Orders Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to Revise Calculation of Prisoner’s Sentence, by Matthew Clarke
- Nevada Reduces Share of Prisoners’ Money That Can be Taken for Restitution, by Daniel A. Rosen
- California Sheriff Hid Number of Deaths in Sacramento County Jails, by Kevin Bliss
- As Prisoners Die, Washington Officials Resist Reform, by Mark Wilson
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules Prisoners Can Challenge Deductions Taken From Their Accounts, by David Reutter
- California’s San Quentin and Folsom Prisons Hardest-Hit by COVID-19, by Edward Lyon
- Mississippi Department of Corrections Lifts Smoking Ban at its Prisons, by Keith Sanders
- Minnesota Counties Pay Out More Than $10 Million For Prison and Jail Settlements, by Kevin Bliss
- Second Circuit Court of Appeals Partly Overturns New York District Court, Allows Prisoner’s PREA Violations Claims to Proceed, by David Reutter
- Data: Families of Arizona Prison Guards Suffer High Rates of Domestic Violence, by Edward Lyon
- New Allegations of Abuse and Sexual Assault at Edna Mahan Women’s Prison in New Jersey, by Kevin Bliss
- Federal Court Finds Missouri Parole System Unconstitutional, by Dale Chappell
- Successive Corruption Scandal Rocks Mississippi Prison System, by Edward Lyon
- News in Brief
More from Brian Dolinar:
- Cages Without Bars Are Widening the Net: The Explosion of Electronic Monitoring, Jan. 1, 2023
- Prison Profiteer Is Using Sandra Bland’s Death to Sell Surveillance Technology, Sept. 30, 2022
- Louisiana Prisoners Used as Slave Labor During Hurricane Ida, Families Left in the Dark for Weeks, Nov. 1, 2021
- Eleven Guards Fired after Death at Houston Jail, Nov. 1, 2021
- Hunger Strike, Ceiling Collapse, Lawsuit Spotlight Deteriorating Conditions at Women’s Prison in Illinois, Oct. 1, 2021
- Prioritizing Incarcerated People for Vaccine Quickly Reduced COVID in IL Prisons, June 1, 2021
- New Surge of COVID Is Spreading “Like Wildfire” in Illinois Prisons, March 1, 2021
- Illinois Prison Phone Rates are Lowest Following Grassroots Activism, Aug. 6, 2019
- Profiting Off Mass Incarceration: Detroit Pistons Owner Buys Private Prison Phone Company, Oct. 10, 2017
- With General Inch in Charge, We Can Expect Further Militarization of the Prison System, Aug. 30, 2017
More from these topics:
- Virtual Injustice: How Remote Hearings Harm Incarcerated Defendants, March 15, 2025. COVID-19, Cause and Prejudice, Video-Conferencing.
- Failures Brought to Light in Arizona Prison System’s COVID-19 Response, March 1, 2025. Centurion, Systemic Medical Neglect, COVID-19.
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Holds Witness Wearing Surgical Mask During Pandemic Is Denial of Sixth Amendment Right to Face-to-Face Confrontation and No General Exception to This Right for Pandemic or ‘Other Global Events’ Such as Wars and Natural, Feb. 15, 2025. COVID-19, Confrontation Clause/Rights, Practitioner Exception.
- Identities Stolen From Virginia Jail Detainees For $341,205 COVID-19 Fraud, Nov. 15, 2024. COVID-19, Financial Institution - Definition, Identity Theft.
- Ninth Circuit Provides Cover to Oregon Governor for Prioritizing Guards Over Prisoners for COVID-19 Vaccine, Oct. 15, 2024. Systemic Medical Neglect, COVID-19, Guards/Staff.
- U.S. Sentencing Commission Publishes Data Report on Compassionate Release in FY 2023, Oct. 1, 2024. COVID-19, Statistics/Trends, Compassionate Release, Official Report.
- Legal Noose Tightens Around Necks of CDCR Officials Whose Botched Transfer Sparked San Quentin COVID-19 Outbreak, May 1, 2024. Transfers, COVID-19.
- Wyoming Supreme Court Grants Immunity to DOC in Prison COVID-19 Vaccine Mix-Up, May 1, 2024. Medication, COVID-19, Immunity/Liability.
- $2,000 Paid to Former Arkansas Jail Detainees Given Horse Dewormer for COVID-19, April 1, 2024. Medication, Medical Experiments/Exploitation, COVID-19.
- North Carolina Prison Official Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Program Fraud, March 1, 2024. Government Misconduct, COVID-19, Fraud and Deceit, Fraud and Theft Loss.

